Comparison of the Effects on Sleep and Vital Signs of the Elderly Between the Hand Bath Group and the Foot Bath Group

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of hand and foot baths on sleep and body temperature of the elderly. METHODS: The research was designed for a nonequivalent control group before and after the test design. The subjects of this study totaled 43, aged 65 and over (23 people in hand bath group and 20 people in a foot bath group), who received a written voluntary consent to participate in experimental treatment and are in the W care center, S Nursing Home, and H care center in Seoul. Data were collected with questionnaires and observations, and were analyzed on the basis of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, χχ2-test, Fisher exact test, t-test and paired t-test. RESULTS: There are no significant differences in homogeneity test of a dependent variable between groups (hand bath, foot bath). The differences between 2 groups on the sleep quality score and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure temperature were not significant statistically except on the pulse. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, hand bath is as efficient as foot bath. Therefore, a hand bath can be a nursing intervention in order to enrich sleep quality for the elderly because a hand bath is more convenient than foot bath.