JOPHON NCPD (May/June 2025) Effect of Weighted Blankets on Anxiety of Pediatric Oncology Patients During Outpatient Chemotherapy Infusions-JOPHON NCPD (May/June 2025) Effect of Weighted Blankets on Anxiety of Pediatric Oncology Patients During Outpatient Chemotherapy Infusions

JOPHON NCPD (May/June 2025) Effect of Weighted Blankets on Anxiety of Pediatric Oncology Patients During Outpatient Chemotherapy Infusions

Back to course

Pdf Summary

This study evaluated whether weighted blankets reduce anxiety in newly diagnosed pediatric oncology patients (ages 4–17) during outpatient chemotherapy infusions. Using a randomized 2×2 cross-over design, participants received a weighted blanket during one infusion visit and usual care during another (sequence WB:UC or UC:WB), allowing each child to serve as their own control. Blankets were individualized at approximately 10% of body weight and used for at least 15 minutes during infusion. Anxiety was measured immediately before and after each infusion using the Children’s Anxiety Meter–State (CAM-S, 1–10 scale). Quality of life was assessed before each visit using the parent-proxy Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0).<br /><br />Of 26 enrolled patients, 24 with complete data were analyzed (recruitment ran from January 2022 to July 2023). Participants averaged 11.9 years old; most were female, White, non-Hispanic, and English-speaking. Overall mean CAM-S was 3.4, and mean PedsQL was 68.1.<br /><br />In mixed linear models, anxiety significantly decreased from pre- to post-infusion by 0.71 points on CAM-S (95% CI: −1.25 to −0.17; p=.02), indicating anxiety tended to lessen over the course of an infusion visit. Higher quality of life was significantly associated with lower anxiety (CAM-S decreased as PedsQL increased; p=.001). Although weighted blankets generally corresponded with lower anxiety scores (especially at the second visit), the additional effect attributable specifically to the weighted blanket versus usual care was not statistically significant in interaction analyses.<br /><br />The authors conclude that anxiety reduction occurred during infusions and that weighted blankets may be a helpful, nurse-supported, nonpharmacologic adjunct, but larger, multi-site studies (potentially with more visits and/or biomarkers) are needed due to small sample size, lack of blinding, and complex, multifactorial anxiety drivers.

Keywords

weighted blankets

pediatric oncology

chemotherapy infusion

outpatient cancer treatment

anxiety reduction

nonpharmacologic intervention

randomized 2x2 crossover trial

Children’s Anxiety Meter–State (CAM-S)

Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)

nursing supportive care