Efetividade da aromaterapia na dependência de nicotina em trabalhadores da saúde

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is considered a chronic nicotine addiction disease and a risk factor for serious illnesses such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as being one of the main causes of preventable deaths worldwide. Tobacco control programs have achieved good results in recent decades, with a reduction in the number of smokers. However, drug and behavioral treatment is not 100% effective, with relapses and side effects for smokers. New challenges have been imposed following the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the health sector, where concerns about the impact on workers' health have been highlighted. In this scenario, the importance of caring for those who have been most exposed to the harmful effects of this period has been verified, looking not only at the psychological disorders of this population, but also at promoting the quality of life of the worker, especially the worker who presents a health risk behavior, such as the smoking worker. Aromatherapy, an Integrative and Complementary Health Practice supported by evidence of clinical effectiveness in a wide range of clinical conditions, was proposed as an intervention for this group. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy on nicotine dependence in workers who smoke. METHOD: A pilot, clinical, randomized, double-blind study using two essential oils, piper nigrum and angelica archangelica, by inhalation, in two groups of health workers, to evaluate the effect of these oils on levels of smoking dependence. The outcomes assessed were the level of nicotine dependence (primary outcome), measured using the Fagerstrom Test, and the measure of the participant's smoking load (secondary outcome). The study was carried out over a period of 30 days on the premises of a university hospital in the city of Belo Horizonte/MG with a population of 29 workers who were smokers. Data analysis was carried out using the SPSS program version 21.0 and changes in levels of nicotine dependence and smoking load in the study were assessed using the paired Wilcoxon test. Associations between the categorized variables were made using Pearson's chi-square test. The effectiveness of the essential oils between the groups was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. A significance level of 5% was set for all tests. RESULTS: The randomized groups were similar in most of the variables analyzed (p>0.05). There was a decrease in both smoking load and nicotine dependence after the intervention with essential oils in both groups (p<0.05), with the Angelica group starting the study with a moderate degree of dependence in the Fagerstrom test and moderate smoking load, and at the end showing low dependence and low smoking load. Similarly, the Black Pepper group exhibited a low nicotine dependence and low smoking load in the initial test and after the intervention, a very low dependence. Two male participants, each from an evaluated group, achieved abstinence. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in effect size in relation to the type of essential oil used. CONCLUSION: The essential oils used in the study were effective in reducing nicotine dependence and the smoking burden of the subjects evaluated. There was no significant difference between the effect of EOs in the control group and the experimental group.