Aromatherapy for Stress and Burnout Among Healthcare Providers

The Effects of Aromatherapy on Stress and Burnout Among Healthcare Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A 3-Arm Randomized, Double Blind, Controlled Trial

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT05114655

Enrollment

114

Registered

2021-11-10

Start date

2021-11-11

Completion date

2022-02-17

Last updated

2022-03-31

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Burnout, Professional, Stress, Stress, Job

Keywords

aromatherapy, essential oils

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential for inhalation of plant-based aromas to reduce stress and burnout among healthcare professionals and staff in hospitals and urgent care centers.

Detailed description

After being informed about the study and potential risks/benefits, participants will provide e-sign informed consent documents and be randomized to one of three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio. Each participant will apply the assigned study oil to the jawline for inhalation three times daily for a total of 7 days.

Interventions

OTHERCitrus Essential Oil Blend

Participants are given a diluted proprietary oil blend of aromatic extracts from citrus peel, and flowers to apply three times daily for the purposes of inhalation.

OTHERInert Oil

Participants are given an inert vegetable based oil blend to apply three times daily for the purposes of inhalation.

OTHERHerbaceous Essential Oil Blend

Participants are given a diluted proprietary oil blend of aromatic extracts from resins, bark, and flowers to apply three times daily for the purposes of inhalation.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

20 Years to 59 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Age 20-59 * Lives in the United States * Otherwise healthy * Employed full time in a capacity that interacts with patients at a hospital, primary, or urgent care center that treats COVID-19 patients. Full time is defined as 35 hours or more each week.

Exclusion criteria

* Positive COVID-19 test within 60 days of the study period * COVID vaccine of any type scheduled during the intervention period or the week prior to the start of the study * Allergy to any of the ingredients * Regular smokers in the home (daily or more often) * Pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding * Existing use of an aromatherapy blend for stress management

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Post-intervention score on the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Health Personnel on day 7	Day 7	The Maslach Burnout Inventory is a 22-item scale measuring 3 constructs of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement. Each item is ranked on a 7-point likert scale, scored from 0-6, with higher scores indicating higher levels of burnout.
Post-intervention score on the Profile of Mood States, abbreviated version on day 7	Day 7	The abbreviated version of the profile of mood states contains 40 items across 7 constructs. Each item is scored on a 5 point scale ranging from 0-4 with higher scores indicating higher levels of each construct.
Post-intervention score on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) on day 7	Day 7	The DASS is a 42-item scale measuring depression, anxiety, and stress. Each item is measured on a 4-point frequency scale, scored from 0-3, with higher scores indicating greater frequency of each symptom.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026