2020, Cilt 7, Sayı 3, Sayfa(lar) 196-205
An Evaluation of Dissertations/Theses in Turkey on Non- Pharmacological Practices and Effects in the Elderly
Kamuran ÖZDİL1, Gamze MUZ2, Gülhan KÜÇÜK ÖZTÜRK3
1Öğr.Gör.Dr., Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi Sağlık Hizmetleri Meslek Yüksekokulu, Nevşehir, Türkiye
2Dr.Öğr.Üyesi, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi Semra ve Vefa Küçük Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Nevşehir, Türkiye
3Araş.Gör., Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi Semra ve Vefa Küçük Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Nevşehir, Türkiye
Keywords: Complementary medicine, elderly, holistic health, nursing, theses

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the nonpharmacological practices used in the elderly and on which symptoms these practices were used.

Material and Methods: This research was carried out as a descriptive study. During data collection; theses determined by using keywords “geriatrics”, “music”, “reflexology”, “acupressure”, “massage”, “aromatherapy” “complementary”, “alternative treatments” on the National Thesis Center of the Higher Education Institution database were included in the study. In Turkey, a total of 33 theses on non-pharmacological practices and effects of symptoms in the elderly were reached. The full text of seven theses could not be reached and was excluded. A total of 26 theses were evaluated in the study. Since the full text of the seven theses could not be reached, it was excluded and a total of 26 theses were evaluated.

Results: Most of the theses examined in this study were conducted in the field of nursing. 53.8% of the non-pharmacological theses were PhD theses and 46.2% of them were master's theses. It was determined that non-pharmacological practices had positive effects on anxiety, sleep and quality of life, pain, loneliness, fatigue, depression and constipation in the elderly.

Conclusion: Non-pharmacological practices applied to the elderly seem to be effective in management of many symptoms. In conclusion, multidisciplinary and randomized controlled trials are recommended to provide more evidence to the field.