Nature Photographs as Complementary Care in Chemotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Giulia Catissi, Leticia Bernardes de Oliveira, Elivane da Silva Victor, Roberta Maria Savieto, Gustavo Benvenutti Borba, Erika Hingst-Zaher, Luciano Moreira Lima, Sabrina Bortolossi Bomfim and Eliseth Ribeiro Leão ()
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Giulia Catissi: Albert Einstein Israeli Faculty of Health Sciences, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05651-901, Brazil
Leticia Bernardes de Oliveira: Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05651-901, Brazil
Elivane da Silva Victor: Albert Einstein Education and Research Center, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05651-901, Brazil
Roberta Maria Savieto: Albert Einstein Education and Research Center, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05651-901, Brazil
Gustavo Benvenutti Borba: Department of Electronics-DAELN, Graduate School on Biomedical Engineering—PPGEB, Federal University of Technology-Paraná—UTFPR, Curitiba 80230-901, Brazil
Erika Hingst-Zaher: Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
Luciano Moreira Lima: Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
Sabrina Bortolossi Bomfim: Albert Einstein Education and Research Center, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05651-901, Brazil
Eliseth Ribeiro Leão: Albert Einstein Education and Research Center, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05651-901, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: The incidence of cancer cases is increasing worldwide, and chemotherapy is often necessary as part of the treatment for many of these cases. Nature-based interventions have been shown to offer potential benefits for human well-being. Objective: This study aims to investigate the outcome of nature images on clinical symptom management related to chemotherapy. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in an outpatient cancer unit of a private hospital in Brazil, with 173 participants over the age of 18 who were undergoing chemotherapy and had signed an informed consent form. The intervention consisted of the presentation of a 12-min video featuring nature images categorized under the themes of Tranquility, Beauty, Emotions Up, or Miscellany. Images were sourced from the e-Nature Positive Emotions Photography Database (e-NatPOEM), a publicly available collection of affectively rated images. Sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as the participants’ connection to nature, were investigated. The Positive Affect/Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) were applied pre- and post-intervention. Results: Data showed very strong evidence of a reduction in negative affect for the intervention group ( p < 0.001) and moderate evidence for the control group ( p = 0.034). There was also a significant reduction in the intervention group for pain ( p < 0.001), tiredness ( p = 0.002), sadness ( p < 0.001), anxiety ( p < 0.001), and appetite ( p = 0.001). The Beauty video had the best performance, while the Tranquility video showed no significant improvement in any of the symptoms evaluated. These findings suggest that images of nature may be a valuable tool to help control clinical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Keywords: nature-based therapy; complementary therapies; emotions; affect; signs and symptoms; nature; photography; integrative oncology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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