Overview
This study aims to evaluate the effects of acupressure on blood glucose levels and anxiety in older adults with diabetes. A three-arm randomized controlled trial will be conducted, comparing acupressure, sham acupressure, and routine care groups. Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels will be assessed as primary outcomes, and state anxiety will be assessed as a secondary outcome.
Description
Diabetes is a common chronic disease in older adults and may be associated with difficulties in maintaining optimal blood glucose levels and increased anxiety. This study is designed to evaluate the effects of acupressure on blood glucose levels and anxiety in older adults with diabetes. This is a three-arm, parallel-group, double-blind randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to an acupressure group, a sham acupressure group, or a routine care control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive acupressure applied to the HT7, SP6, and ST36 acupoints by a trained researcher. The intervention will be administered once daily for six sessions, with each session lasting approximately 15-20 minutes. The sham acupressure group will receive light pressure applied to non-acupoint areas near the same anatomical regions, while the control group will continue to receive routine clinical care without any additional intervention. The primary outcome of the study is blood glucose level, assessed using fasting and postprandial capillary blood glucose measurements at baseline and at predefined time points during the intervention period. Secondary outcomes include anxiety levels, measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.Outcome assessments will be conducted by assessors blinded to group allocation. Prior to the main trial, a pilot study will be conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the intervention protocol and data collection procedures, and to estimate the effect size required for calculating the final sample size of the main study. Findings from the pilot study will be used to refine the intervention procedures and to determine the final sample size. Participants included in the pilot study will not be included in the main trial.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Being 65 years of age or older,
- Having been diagnosed with diabetes for at least one year,
- There should be no hearing, speech, or vision problems that would hinder the exchange and communication of the information,
- Being able to speak and understand Turkish,
- Not using any other complementary or supportive therapies during the study period,
- Successfully passing the mini mental and cognitive assessment routinely performed in the clinic,
- Continuing routine diabetes treatment for the past month.
Exclusion Criteria:
- The presence of open wounds, infections, skin lesions, or anatomical abnormalities in the areas where acupressure will be applied,
- Discontinuing prescribed diabetes treatment or showing significant non-adherence to treatment regimen during the investigation period.
