Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the effect of an oral care program with honey on chemotherapy-related mucositis among cancer patients.Methods: In this randomized quasi-experimental study, 34 participants were assigned to either a honey group (n = 17, swish-hold-swallow with acacia honey) or a saline control group (n = 17, mouthwashes with normal saline). The 14-day oral care program comprised a 20-30 minute’s single education session and 1 minute‘s swishing with acacia honey or 3 minutes’ mouthwashes with normal saline solution for 4 times/day (after three meals and before bed time). Mucositis score was assessed at the time of enrollment, day 7, and day 14 using the Oral Assessment Guide. Data were analyzed with repeated measures of ANCOVA and repeated measures of ANOVA with Bonferroni’s correction.Results: There was no significant interaction between groups and follow-up times in the mucositis scores. Within the honey group, there was a significant increment in the mucositis score at day 7 (t = 6.42, <i>p</i>< 0.001) and a significant decrement at day 14 (t = 11.02, <i>p</i>< 0.001). In the saline group, there was a significant increment in the mucositis score at day 7 (t = 9.62, <i>p</i>< 0.001) and a significant decrement at day 14 (t = -10.03, <i>p</i>< 0.001).Conclusions: A supportive oral care program using honey or saline may be suggested to ameliorate the chemotherapy related mucositis as a safe, feasible, and appropriate care for cancer patients.

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