The Effects of Yoga, Massage, and Reiki on Patient Well-Being at a Cancer Resource Center.

Background: Cancer resource centers offer patients a variety of therapeutic services. However, patients with cancer and cancer healthcare practitioners may not fully understand the specific objectives and benefits of each service. This research offers guidance to cancer healthcare practitioners on how they can best direct patients to partake in specific integrative therapies, depending on their expressed needs. Objectives: This article investigates the effects of yoga, massage, and Reiki services administered in a cancer resource center on patients' sense of personal well-being. The results show how program directors at a cancer resource center can customize therapies to meet the needs of patients' well-being. Methods: The experimental design measured whether engaging in yoga, massage, or Reiki services affects the selfperceived well-being of 150 patients at a cancer resource center at two times: before and after each service. Data were analyzed for each well-being outcome using mixed-model analysis of variance. Findings: All three services helped decrease stress and anxiety, improve mood, and enhance cancer center patrons' perceived overall health and quality of life in a similar manner. Reiki reduced the pain of patients with cancer to a greater extent than either massage or yoga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]