Clinical trial · Interventional
Foot Bath Effects on Chemotherapy-Induced Fatigue in Pediatric Oncology
Investigation of the Effects of Foot Bath on Chemotherapy-Induced Fatigue in Pediatric Oncology Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
This study aims to evaluate the effects of foot baths on chemotherapy-induced fatigue in pediatric oncology patients. Current literature lacks studies assessing this intervention in the pediatric population. Chemotherapy, a common cancer treatment, often results in side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, taste changes, mouth ulcers, and notably, fatigue. Fatigue affects 51-86% of pediatric cancer patients and significantly impacts their quality of life. Addressing fatigue comprehensively is crucial for improving patients' quality of life. Non-pharmacological methods like foot baths have shown promise in reducing chemotherapy-related fatigue. Previous studies with gynecological cancer patients and others have found that warm water foot baths can alleviate fatigue and improve relaxation by reducing sympathetic activity and facilitating oxygen and nutrient delivery to the brain. This randomized controlled trial is designed to scientifically evaluate the efficacy of foot baths in alleviating fatigue in pediatric patients post-chemotherapy.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Caries | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Water Foot Bath Intervention | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Experimental Group
- description
- The experimental group will receive interactive training and an educational booklet on fatigue, its definition, causes, development, coping strategies, and water temperature adjustment. Each patient gets a marked plastic basin for 8 liters and a thermometer. Starting the next day, patients will take a 38-40ºC warm water bath for 20 minutes between 21:00-22:00 nightly for 7 days to manage fatigue. This time ensures the child rests after the bath. In the initial 30-minute meeting, evaluation tools will assess the patient's personal and disease-related characteristics, fatigue level on the treatment day, impact due to fatigue, and coping strategies. Patients will be called daily for 7 days to assess fatigue levels using the Scale. On the 7th day, the final interview will use the 12-Item Scale and the Parental Fatigue Scale for 7-12 Year old patients.
- interventionNames
- Other: Warm Water Foot Bath Intervention
- type
- NO_INTERVENTION
- label
- Control Group
- description
- The control group will receive interactive training and an educational booklet covering the definition, causes, development, and effective coping strategies for chemotherapy-related fatigue. Patients in this group will be assessed between 21:00-22:00 in the evening, without the warm water foot bath intervention. The evaluations will focus on fatigue levels and other related outcomes over the 7-day period. On the 7th day, the final interview will use the 12-Item Pediatric Oncology Fatigue Scale and the Parental Fatigue Scale for 7-12 Year Old Pediatric Oncology Patients, concluding the study.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 7 Years
- Maximum age
- 12 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Parents' consent to participate in the study and provide written informed consent. * No diagnosed chronic illness other than cancer. * Parents are literate in Turkish. * Children aged between 7-12 years. * Diagnosis of Stage 3 or 4 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. * Receiving the first course of chemotherapy. * Fatigue level of 3 or higher according to the Visual Fatigue Scale by the Oncology Nursing Society of America. Exclusion Criteria: * Children with cancer who have mental retardation and their parents. * Children with cancer who have undergone surgical operations that hinder activities or result in significant organ loss, and their parents. * Children with compromised skin integrity. * Children with cancer and their parents who do not wish to participate in the study
References
Publications (0)
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