The Use of Aromatherapy in Reducing Stress Levels among Hemodialysis Patients: A Scoping Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v6i1.7259Keywords:
Aromatherapy, stress, hemodialysis, chronic kidney disease, scoping reviewAbstract
Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis are vulnerable to stress and psychological disturbances due to the long-term, repetitive, and lifelong nature of the treatment. Aromatherapy is a non-pharmacological intervention that has been applied in various clinical settings to support psychological well-being. However, the scientific evidence regarding the use of aromatherapy for stress management in hemodialysis patients remains fragmented and has not been systematically mapped.
Methods: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and reported following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Study selection was based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data from included studies were extracted and analyzed descriptively to map study characteristics, intervention contexts, types of aromatherapy, and reported psychological outcomes.
Results: A total of six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this scoping review. The included studies demonstrated variability in study design, types of essential oils used, methods of aromatherapy administration, and psychological outcome measurement instruments. Aromatherapy was predominantly administered via inhalation before or during hemodialysis sessions. Reported outcomes primarily focused on stress, anxiety, and other psychological aspects relevant to patients’ experiences during hemodialysis.
Conclusion: This scoping review indicates that aromatherapy has been used as a supportive non-pharmacological intervention for stress management among hemodialysis patients; however, the available evidence remains limited and heterogeneous. Variations in intervention methods and reported outcomes highlight the need for further research using more standardized designs and a specific focus on hemodialysis populations to strengthen the evidence base in nursing practice.
References
Mark, Patrick B et. al. Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease in adults, 1990–2023, and its attributable risk factors: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. Lancet. 2023;406(10518):2461–82.
Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia BKPK. Survei Kesehatan Indonesia 2023. Jakarta; 2023.
Rao H, Guo Y, Qiu L, Ren X. Exploring health challenges and coping strategies in young patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis : a qualitative study. BMC Nephrol [Internet]. 2025;26(378). Available from: doi: 10.1186/s12882-025-04320-y
Irawan D, Suhartini T. Hubungan Lama Menjalani Terapi Hemodialisis Dengan Tingkat Stress Pasien Gagal Ginjal Kronis. J Keperawatan Muhammadiyah [Internet]. 2023;8(3):30–4. Available from: doi.org/10.30651/jkm.v8i3.20164
Şentürk AM, Tekinsoy Kartın PP. The Effect of Lavender Oil Application via Inhalation Pathway on Hemodialysis Patients’ Anxiety Level and Sleep Quality. Holist Nurs Pract [Internet]. 2018;32(6):324–35. Available from: doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000292
Anne-Florence D, Samuel D, Cindy P, Marie D, Clément P. The Efficacy of Aromatherapy on Well-Being and Stress. Br Assoc Crit Care Nurses [Internet]. 2025;31(1). Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nicc.70270
Mannucci C, Calapai F, Cardia L, Inferrera G, Arena GD, Pietro M Di, et al. Clinical Pharmacology of Citrus aurantium and Citrus sinensis for the Treatment of Anxiety. Evidence-Based Complement Altern Med 2018 [Internet]. 2018;2018:3624094. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3624094
Nascimento JC, Gonçalves VS dos S, Souza BRS, Nascimento L de C, Carvalho BMR de, Nogueira PCL, et al. Effectiveness of aromatherapy with sweet orange oil (Citrus sinensis L.) in relieving pain and anxiety during labor. Explor J Sci Heal [Internet]. 2025;21(1):Article 103081. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2024.103081
Qotrunnada HF, Maliya A, Ilmu F, Universitas K, Surakarta M. The Effect of Orange Inhalation Aromatherapy on Anxiety in Chronic Kidney Failure Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis 1. Sci Period Public Heal Coast Heal [Internet]. 2024;6(2). Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.30829/contagion.v6i2.19805
Musa AS, Pevalin DJ, Al Khalaileh M. Physiological stress responses among patients receiving hemodialysis. J Clin Nurs [Internet]. 2022;31(9–10):1290–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15956
Senturk S, Tekinsoy Kartin P. The effect of lavender oil inhalation on anxiety and sleep quality in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018;32:33–7.
Mannucci C, Calapai F, Cardia L, Inferrera G, D’Arena G, Di Pietro M, et al. Clinical pharmacology of citrus essential oils: A systematic review. Phyther Res. 2018;32(2):219–34.
Irawan D, Suhartini R. Hubungan lama menjalani hemodialisis dengan tingkat stres pada pasien penyakit ginjal kronik. J Keperawatan Klin. 2023;10(2):85–92.
Qotrunnada R, Handayani S, Prasetyo A. Pengaruh aromaterapi inhalasi jeruk terhadap tingkat kecemasan pasien hemodialisis. J Keperawatan Indones. 2024;27(1):45–52.
Nascimento LA, Silva RR, Costa AR, Pereira MG. Effects of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oil inhalation on anxiety and mood in clinical settings. J Integr Med. 2025;23(1):15–22.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Asep Nugraha Kusdiana, Suriadi Jais, Supriadi Supriadi, Haryanto Haryanto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
