Progressive muscle relaxation therapy to reduce anxiety levels in rectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

Rectal cancer is a type of colorectal cancer with a high incidence rate (accounting for 70% of cases). Chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer has physical, psychological, and social impacts, and patients often experience anxiety due to treatment side effects. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a non-pharmacological intervention with the potential to reduce anxiety. This study aimed to determine the effect of PMR on anxiety levels in rectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. A pre-experimental research method with a one-group pretest-posttest design was employed. The study population consisted of 75 chemotherapy patients at Dr. Adhyatma Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Semarang; a sample of 43 individuals was selected using purposive sampling. Anxiety levels were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Trait scale), and data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. PMR was administered for 15 minutes, one hour prior to morning chemotherapy sessions. The results showed that before the PMR intervention, the majority of respondents (n=18; 41.9%) fell into the moderate anxiety category, whereas after the intervention, the majority (n=20; 46.5%) fell into the mild anxiety category. The Wilcoxon test results indicated a significant effect of PMR on the anxiety levels of rectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Dr. Adhyatma Hospital (p = 0.000; p < 0.05). PMR functions by systematically reducing muscle tension through a sequence of contraction and relaxation, thereby triggering a psychophysiological relaxation response in the body. Future research could involve larger sample sizes and longer intervention periods, while also considering other factors that may influence patient anxiety, to yield more comprehensive findings.