Effectiveness of Laughter Yoga on Stress in Patients with Cancer in a Selected Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: Cancer is a life-changing diagnosis that can cause a lot of emotional pain for both patients and their families. Alongside medical treatments, it is really important to have supportive methods in place that can help ease stress and improve overall well-being. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Laughter Yoga in reducing perceived stress among patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: This study employed a time-series, non-randomised control group design with pre-test and post-test measures, conducted within the oncology department of a tertiary care hospital. A total of 60 cancer patients were assessed for stress levels using the perceived stress scale (PSS-10). Participants in the intervention group received Laughter Yoga sessions 3 times per week, each lasting 30 min, over a period of 30 days. Post-intervention assessments were conducted on the 10th, 20th and 30th days for both the intervention and control groups through face-to-face interviews. Results: The findings revealed that the mean pre-test stress score in the intervention group was 33.6 ± 5.74, which significantly declined to 18.9 ± 7.45 following the intervention. In contrast, the control group maintained a relatively stable stress score of 32.53 ± 5.72. Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in mean stress levels across various time intervals before and after the intervention (F = 383.4, p = 0.001). Post hoc Bonferroni tests further confirmed significant reductions in stress levels at each follow-up point, day 10, day 20 and day 30 when compared to baseline measurements (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The study demonstrated that Laughter Yoga was associated with a significant reduction in perceived stress among individuals with cancer, highlighting the importance of integrating such adjunctive therapies into oncology centres to better support patients experiencing varying levels of psychological distress.