Stress
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to compare between the effect of box breathing and foot reflexology on physiological and psychological stress indicators in emergency physicians.
Detailed description
Healthcare workers are an especially vulnerable group, with stressful environments and work pressure often leading to burnout. Long hours, overwork, shift work, inadequate staffing, emotional demands, are all believed to be contributors, and it has been suggested that stress and burnout have been associated with decreased job satisfaction, poor job performance, and negative patient outcomes. Emergency physicians showed a high risk for developing burnout and work stress-related problems. Emergency physicians report higher scores of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization when compared to other healthcare professionals. The high flow of patients exceeding the teamwork capacity lead to excessive stressful working environment among the Egyptian emergency physicians rather than other emergency physicians in many Western countries. Work-related stress have a negative impact on workers' health and safety. This includes cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal complaints, sleep troubles, mental health problems, fatigue, job dissatisfaction, accidents and injuries at work, reduced vigilance and job performance. Box breathing exercise is a technique of slow breathing rhythm also known as square breathing used universally. It increases the performance and concentration level; it also acts as a powerful stress relief. Foot reflexology stimulates reflex zones in the foot that correspond to specific parts of the body, Reflex effects are known to release symptoms of stress by accelerating blood flow, diminishing tension, relaxing the mental state, increasing immunity, and improving the sense of well-being. Therefore, the primary aim of this study will impact future researcher about the significance of the difference between box breathing and foot reflexology on physiological and psychological stress indicators in emergency physicians.
Interventions
OTHERBox Breathing
Participants will perform box breathing exercises daily for 4 weeks. Each session will last 5 minutes and will be performed three times per day. Participants will receive supervised sessions three days per week and will perform the remaining sessions as a
OTHERFoot Reflexology
Participants will receive foot reflexology sessions three times per week for 4 weeks. Reflexology will be performed with the participant in a comfortable supine position and will include general stimulation of plantar reflex points followed by targeted pressure applied to the solar plexus and adrenal gland reflex areas of both feet.
Sponsors
Cairo University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
30 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Male emergency physicians aged 30-40 years. * Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m². * Working 8-hour day shifts. * Non-smokers. * At least 1 year of professional experience. * Able and willing to provide informed consent and comply with the study interventions and assessments.
Exclusion criteria
* Medical conditions that contraindicate participation in the interventions, including severe cardiovascular conditions or foot injuries that preclude foot reflexology. * Use of medications that may affect hormonal or stress-related outcomes, including antidiabetic medications, thyroid medications, and antidepressants. * Regular participation in stress-reduction techniques or relaxation programs. * Working night shifts. * BMI ≥30 kg/m² or \<18.5 kg/m².
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Salivary Cortisol Level | 4 weeks | Change in salivary cortisol concentration (µg/dL) from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention period. Saliva samples will be collected before and after the intervention period and analyzed to determine changes in physiological stress. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Variability (HRV) | 4 weeks | Change in heart rate variability from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention period. HRV will be assessed using the Welltory smartphone application as a physiological indicator of autonomic nervous system activity and stress. |
| Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) | 4 weeks | Change in perceived stress level from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention period, assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. Total scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress. |
| Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) | 4 weeks | Change in occupational burnout from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention period, assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, including the domains of Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment. |
| Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) | 4 weeks | Change in sleep quality from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention period, assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. |
Countries
Egypt
Contacts
CONTACTSara Mohamed Ali Arafa, B.Sc
CONTACTSalma Ibrahim Al Ghitany, PhD
STUDY_CHAIRHany Ezzat Obaya, PhD
Professor, Cairo University
STUDY_DIRECTORMohamed Ahmed Khatab, PhD
Professor, Ain Shams University
STUDY_DIRECTORSalma Ibrahim Al Ghitany, PhD
Lecturer, Cairo University
Outcome results
None listed