IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS) e- ISSN: 2320–1959.p- ISSN: 2320–1940 Volume 7, Issue 4 Ver. IV (Jul.-Aug. 2018), PP 11-22 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/1959-0704041122 www.iosrjournals.org 11 | Page Impact of Aromatherapy Massage Using Lavender Oil on Fatigue and Insomnia among Patients with Leukemia Heba Ahmed Mohammed 1 , Asmaa Diab Abdel-Fattah Hassan 2 1,2 Lecturer Of Medical Surgical Nursing 1,2 Faculty Of Nursing - Cairo University - Egypt Corresponding Author: Heba Ahmed Mohammed1. Abstract: Patients have leukemia may experience an array of different symptoms throughout their chemotherapy treatment in the hospital. Fatigue and insomnia are the most common distressing and persistent symptoms in patients with leukemia, they lead to restrictions in activities and significantly impact on quality of life. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the impact of aromatherapy massage using lavender oil on fatigue and insomnia among patients with leukemia. Design: A quasi experimental design was utilized for conducting the study. Research hypotheses: H1: The total mean score of fatigue in the study group will be less than control group. H 2 : The total mean score of insomnia in the study group will be less than control group. Sample: A total of 60 adult male and female patients diagnosed with leukemia were randomly assigned to either study or control group (30 subjects each) at one of the teaching hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Tools: Data were collected through three tools; personal and medical background information form, cancer fatigue scale and insomnia severity index. Results: There were statistically significant differences regarding fatigue as well as insomnia in the study group after implementation of aromatherapy massage with lavender oil when compared to the control group. Conclusion: aromatherapy massage with lavender oil had a positive impact on reducing the intensity level of fatigue and insomnia among patients with leukemia. Recommendations: The oncology nurse ought to understand the basic essential oils pharmacological actions, massage skills, effective therapy for symptoms management in leukemia and conjointly replicate the study on a large number of study sample in different settings to generalize the results. Keywords: Aromatherapy massage, lavender oil, leukemia, fatigue & insomnia. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 13-07-2018 Date of acceptance: 29-07-2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Neoplastic diseases are the second reason of death in the most developed countries of the world and the most dreadful diseases nowadays [1]. Leukemia is an abnormal change of bone marrow’s blood cells which is related to diminished production of normal blood cells and increased growth of abnormal cells [2]. In United States, there were an estimated number 387,728 individuals living with leukemia, the number of patients with leukemia was 13.7 per 100,000 each year. The number of deaths was 6.8 per 100,000 each year from 2010 to 2014 [3]. Leukemia is assessed into two categories: acute and chronic leukemia that may be classified into acute, chronic myeloid leukemia and acute or Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the primary differences between the four kinds of leukemia refers to their rates of progression and wherever the cancer develops[4]. There are several symptoms related to leukemia as fatigue, insomnia, irritability, anorexia, joint pain, mild fever, bleeding from the nose, pallor, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and skin rash that may be occurred with splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy [5]. Fatigue is one of the foremost complicated problems in the leukemia. Blood cancer related fatigue is manifested by excessive and chronic exhaustion that interferes with daily activity and body functions; it can’t be overcome with rest or by proper night’s sleep [6]. Fatigue typically begins before cancer is diagnosed, worsens throughout the course of treatment and may persist for months or perhaps years and once treatment ends [7]. About 72% to 95% of patients with cancer suffer from fatigue. In these patients, fatigue is also caused by the effect of the disease and its treatment [8]. Insomnia or hassle sleeping, it is other problem for patients with leukemia. Many studies have reported an incidence of 30 to 50 percent in cancer patients, compared to 15 percent in the general population. In addition, symptoms of insomnia were found in 23 to 44 percent of patients from two to five years after treatment for cancer [9]. It can characterize by difficult falling asleep, inability to maintain enough period of sleeping time, early arousal and poor sleep potency are prevalent in patients with leukemia. For patients with leukemia, sleep is doubtless littered with a variety of factors including biochemical changes related to the