Effects of Non-pharmacological Interventions on Cancer Patients with Sleep Disorder: A Meta-analysis

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of non-pharmacological interventions on cancer patients with sleep disorder. Methods: A total of 4,246 studies published between 2000 and 2018 were identified by searching NDSL, RISS, Koreamed, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. Seventeen of these studies were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Data were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Ver. 3.4.1 program, and the effect sizes were shown using Hedges’ g score. Results: Intervention studies included 8 studies on exercise, 4 studies on cognitive-behavioral therapy, 2 studies on music, and 1 study each on aromatherapy, massage, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. The overall controlled effect size was .78 (95% Confidence Interval=.40, 1.16, Z=4.02, p<.001), using a random effects model. Conclusion: Through this study, it was found that the effects of exercise (walking), aromatherapy, massage, and music intervention were all statistically significant. As such, the findings of this study provide evidence supporting the incorporation of various non-pharmacological interventions into nursing practice to improve sleep quality in patients with sleep disorder.