The Effect of Mouth Care with Aloe Vera Solution on Mucositis: Treatment in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd)

Abstract

Study Background:The responsibility of nurses is to provide and maintain oral health in healthy/unhealthy individuals, to help those without this habit to achieve oral health habits, to prevent the complications caused by drug treatment and to provide patient counseling services and education. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect(s) of regular oral care which made use of a solution that contained aloe vera in the treatment of patients with COPD suffering from mucositis. Methods: This study is an experimental research consisting of an experiment and a control group. The study was planned as an experimental research and was conducted between March and July, 2009. The research was conducted in a tertiary, education and research hospital in Erzurum, Turkey. Patients in the research group (experimental group) were provided with regular oral care with a solution of 0.5 % “aloe vera” for 15 days, three times a day (3x1). Oral changes of both groups were examined by the researcher using visual inspection, and oral mucositis scores were registered in the “Researcher’s Mucositis Index” on the 1st day (Day 1) and 15th day (Day 15). The patients in both groups were asked to write their complaints in the “Patient Complaint Index” (PCI) on a daily basis. Percentages, chi-square, mean, Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to evaluate the data. Results and Conclusion: On completion of the research both the complaint scores and oral mucositis levels decreased notably in the experimental group as a result of the oral care which made use of the aloe vera solution.