EFFECTIVENESS OF LEMON AND LEMONGRASS COMBINATION AS AROMATHERAPY ON STRESS REDUCTION AMONG PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH INTELLIGENCE DISABILITY IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Parents of Children with Intelligence Disability (PCID) undergo stress and societal stigma in their daily lives as they raise up these children with Intelligence Disability (ID). Aromatherapy, a type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), uses plants to extract essential oils which are used as aromatherapy through inhalation. The main aim of this study was to authenticate lemongrass and lemon essential oils and assess its effectiveness as aromatherapy on stress reduction among PCID. The study utilized a quasi-experimental pre- post non-equivalent study design. Gas Chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was done to authenticate the lemon and lemongrass essential oils. Lemon essential oil contained 42 components with D Limonene (33.15%) and Cyclopentene, 3-isopropenyl-5,5-dimethyl- (26.73%) as the major components. Lemongrass essential oil contained 82 components with β- Myrcene (11.34%) and Geranial (18.19%) as the major components respectively. Quantitative and qualitative approach was used and data was collected using a stress indicator tool, informant interviews and focus group discussions. Through snowballing sampling technique, the sample size consisted of 228 PCID. Majority of the PCID were women (72.4%) and most of the ID children were < 5 years old (52.2%). Lemongrass essential oil performed better in post-test on physical, sleep and emotions domains with a mean difference in stress reduction {-30.18 (p < 0.0001)}, {-28.66 (p < x x x x x 0.0001)} and {-22.51 (p < 0.0001)} respectively. Mean differences in systolic blood pressure {(-24.42; p < 0.0001)} and heart rate {(-21.76; p < 0.0001)} were highest in the group that used a blend of lemon and lemongrass essential oils. Four themes that emerged on the factors that influence effectiveness of lemon and lemongrass essential oils were: Calming and relaxing effect of the drug, frequency of exposure, cost effectiveness and pleasant aroma with non-allergy reaction. In conclusion, Lemongrass essential oil and a blend of lemongrass and lemon essential oils are effective in reducing stress. A lemongrass and lemon essential oil protocol and algorithm is proposed to guide on the use of these essential oils on the management and reduction of stress among the PCID and community at large. This study therefore recommends that PCID use lemongrass and lemon essential oils since its natural, cost effective and readily available.