Effectiveness of guided imagery lowers stress levels in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients at Universitas Sebelas Maret Hospital

Introduction: Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Central Java rank seventh with 31,817 cases, or 2.1%. Nearly half of COPD patients experience stressful events that have a serious impact on their lives. Guided imagery therapy is a mind-body intervention that relieves stress and promotes a sense of peace and calm by activating the parasympathetic system. The provision of guided imagery therapy is thought to reduce stress levels in COPD patients.Objectives: Determine whether guided imagery therapy can reduce stress levels in COPD patients at the Pulmonary Outpatient Poly of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Hospital in Surakarta.Methods Materials: This study is an experimental analytical research conducted at the Pulmonary Outpatient Poly of UNS Hospital. It utilizes a randomized controlled trial with a pre- and post-test design. Stress levels were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire. Guided imagery is given in the form of audio recordings, listened to at least once a week for one month. The study included 38 outpatients at the study site who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in February 2023, divided into 2 groups: intervention (19) and control (19).Results: Subjects given guided imagery intervention experienced a decrease in PSS scores more than the control group, statistically significant with PSS scores (∆) (p = 0.001), p 0.05.Conclusion: Guided imagery therapy can reduce stress levels in COPD patients at the Pulmonary Outpatient Poly of UNS Hospital