Abstract Background In diseases requiring long-term treatment, such as cancer, the importance of holistic nursing support is increasing. Both foot massage and bed baths are holistic care methods that address patients' physical, emotional, and psychological needs, and research indicates they can effectively reduce symptoms like fatigue and sleep disturbances. Objective This study aims to evaluate and compare the effects of foot massage and bed baths on fatigue and sleep quality in hospitalized cancer patients. Method The research was conducted with hospitalized patients in the oncology clinic of a university hospital between April and November 2024, employing a three-group randomized controlled experimental design. The study included 39 cancer patients who were randomly assigned to three groups: Foot Massage (FM) ( n = 12), Bed Bath (BB) ( n = 12), and Control ( n = 15). The treatments were administered for four consecutive days, two hours before bedtime, with each session lasting 30 min. The control group received routine care without additional interventions. Data was collected using the Patient Information Form, the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and the Richard Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ), through five repeated measurements. Results Before the interventions began, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of fatigue or sleep quality. Regarding the BFI scores, on days three ( p .05). Conclusion These findings suggest that foot massage and bed baths serve as effective supplementary nursing interventions for reducing fatigue and improving sleep quality in hospitalized cancer patients. Clinical trial number NCT06373614. Trial registration ClinicalTrials. gov Registry (NCT 06373614) in April 2024.
Kabuk et al. (2026) studied this question.