Effects of Aromatherapy Using the Damask Rose Essential Oil on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Hemodialysis Patients: A Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Depression, anxiety, and stress are very common among hemodialysis patients. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of aromatherapy using the damask rose oil on depression, anxiety, and stress in these patients. Methods: In a clinical trial that was performed in 2015, 60 patients under hemodialysis treatment were randomly allocated to two groups of control and intervention each consisting of 30 subjects. The DASS21 scale was used to measure the rates of depression, anxiety, and stress before and four weeks after intervention. In the intervention group, the patients were asked to inhale the damask rose oil with a constant density of 2% from a piece of cloth smeared with three drops for an hour. In the control group, only the usual, standard care was applied. Results: The comparison of the mean scores before and after the intervention in the two groups showed that after intervention, the depression, anxiety, and stress scores significantly decreased in the damask rose group (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: Inhalation aromatherapy using the damask rose oil can decrease depression, anxiety, and stress in hemodialysis patients.