Effect of Agarwood (Aquilaria Sinensis) Inhalation Aromatherapy on Workplace Fatigue and Sleep Quality Among Hospital Employees: A Randomized Controlled Trial
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Agarwood Aromatherapy Inhalation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Fatigue, Occupational Stress or Workplace Stress, Sleep Quality. Basic parameters: from 20 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Impact of Agarwood Aromatherapy Inhalation on Sleep Quality and Occupational Fatigue in Hospital Staff
Overview
Hospital staff often experience workplace fatigue and poor sleep quality, which can harm their health, reduce job performance, and increase risks to patient safety. Aromatherapy is a simple, non-invasive complementary therapy that may help reduce fatigue and improve sleep. Agarwood (Aquilaria spp.) has calming and relaxing properties, but there is little clinical research on its effectiveness for hospital staff. This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial will evaluate whether agarwood aromatherapy inhalation can improve fatigue and sleep quality among hospital employees in Taiwan. About 78 participants will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1. Experimental group: Agarwood sachet containing agarwood wood chips and essential oil. 2. Control group: Placebo sachet containing almond oil. Participants will place the sachet about 60 cm from the nose during sleep for 7 nights. Data will be collected using questionnaires on workplace fatigue and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI). The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does agarwood aromatherapy reduce workplace fatigue in hospital staff? 2. Does agarwood aromatherapy improve sleep quality compared with placebo? Findings are expected to provide scientific evidence for using agarwood inhalation as a safe and convenient strategy to improve staff well-being and support a healthier hospital environment.
Interventions
- Other Agarwood Aromatherapy Inhalation
The experimental group will receive agarwood essential oil sachets as the aromatherapy intervention, and participants will place the sachet 60 cm from the nose during sleep for one week.
Primary outcome measures
- Workplace Fatigue [Time frame: Baseline and after 1-week intervention]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- Sleep Quality [Time frame: Baseline and after 1-week intervention]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- ≥20 years old, hospital employee working ≥30 hrs/week, employed ≥3 months
- Not using sedatives/hypnotics
- Normal olfactory function (verified with coffee/vinegar smell test)
- Clear consciousness, can read and understand Chinese, no major communication barriers
- Not participating in other aromatherapy or relaxation intervention studies
Exclusion criteria
- Major psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depression, schizophrenia)
- Malignancy under active radio/chemotherapy
- CNS diseases (e.g., brain tumor)
- History of asthma, fragrance allergy, pregnancy
- Chronic rhinitis, nasal surgery, anosmia
- Permanent night-shift workers (≥ midnight to 5am, as defined by ILO, 1995)
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07188831 · DYU-AGARWOOD-2025