Stress, self-esteem and well-being among female health professionals: A randomized clinical trial on the impact of a self-care intervention mediated by the senses

Abstract

BackgroundStress levels are evident among health professionals. However, there are few studies on sensory-based self-care aimed at stress management, self-esteem and subjective well-being in this group of professionals.ObjectiveTo assess the impact of a self-care intervention mediated by the senses on the stress levels, self-esteem and well-being of health professionals in a hospital environment.MethodsA total of 93 health professionals participated in an unblinded clinical trial, randomized into four groups: 1) control (no intervention); 2) Monosensory—daily body moisturizing (DBM) with odorless cream; 3) Bisensory—DBM with scented cream; 4) Multisensory—DBM with scented cream associated with audiovisual material. Participants answered specific questionnaires to assess stress, self-esteem and well-being and cortisol samples were collected at baseline, 15 and 30 days following intervention, and at the 30-day follow-up.ResultsSelf-care was characterized as neglected, with most participants reporting inadequate hours of sleep (74%), irregular physical activity (68%), and inadequate nutrition (45%). Compared to the other groups, the Bisensory group had lower stress on all three assessments (p = 0.017; 0.012; 0.036), a life satisfaction 8% higher at follow-up than at baseline (95% CI: 2% to 15%, p = 0.016), a 10% increase in positive affect (95% CI: 2% to 19%, p = 0.011) and a 12% reduction in negative affect (95% CI: 3% to 21% less, p = 0.014) after 30 days. The Multisensory group showed improvement in self-esteem (p = 0.012) and reduced cortisol (p = 0.036) after 30 days of intervention. The control group showed no changes in the variables studied, except for cortisol: an increase at the 15-day evaluation (denoting higher risk for stress, p = 0.009) and a reduction at follow-up (p = 0.028), which was nevertheless within normal levels.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT02406755

Analysis of Sociodemographic and Psychological Variables Involved in Sleep Quality in Nurses

“…Self-esteem was shown to be an essential factor to cope with the stress that nurses are subjected to, which is why low self-esteem can lead to poor stress management in which professionals do not feel qualified to face the challenges they face in their work environment, such as dealing with patients [44,52,54]. Thus, lack of sleep linked to low self-esteem is related to a deterioration of both physical and mental health [44].…”

“…On similar lines, poor quality and small amounts of sleep reduce an individual’s optimism as well as their self-esteem. Low levels of self-esteem indicate high levels of vulnerability [51,52] caused by poor management of the stress generated by shift work with inflexible rotations, work overload, increased health demand, workplace conflicts, and the emotional burden that may lead to depression [53,54,55]. Depression can begin during nursing studies, due to the stress and anxiety that labor incorporation can generate after the end of their studies.…”

Wellness room as a strategy to reduce occupational stress: quasi-experimental study

“…In addition, they consider that some self-care practices, such as meditation, massage, acupuncture and aesthetic care (skin, nails and hair), are unnecessary in their routine. The sum of these factors can lead to stress and physical, psychological and social issues (34)(35) . A randomized controlled trial with 93 female health professionals, mostly nursing workers, from a Brazilian hospital found that different levels of massage (monosensory, bisensory and multisensory) significantly reduced stress and cortisol levels and increased self-esteem of the participants in relation to the control group, which did not receive the intervention (35) .…”

“…The sum of these factors can lead to stress and physical, psychological and social issues (34)(35) . A randomized controlled trial with 93 female health professionals, mostly nursing workers, from a Brazilian hospital found that different levels of massage (monosensory, bisensory and multisensory) significantly reduced stress and cortisol levels and increased self-esteem of the participants in relation to the control group, which did not receive the intervention (35) . These results diverged from those obtained in the present investigation, since massage, associated with other strategies, did not produce a statistically significant reduction on occupational stress.…”

Professional nurses’ facilitation of self-care in intensive care units: A concept analysis

“…The findings of a study conducted by Leão et al revealed that the concept of self-care was neglected by most healthcare professionals [ 7 ]. These findings indicated that the healthcare professionals dedicated most of their time to the wellbeing of other vulnerable people, while putting their self-care priorities second; especially those activities that rejuvenate and refresh them [ [8] , [9] , [10] ].…”