Abstract:

Introduction: Stress balls have become a popular nonpharmacological intervention for managing stress, anxiety, and pain across various settings, including healthcare environments. The aim of the study to evaluate effectiveness of stress ball on pain and anxiety among patient undergoing upper GI endoscopy.

Methodology: A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was used to assess patients undergoing upper GI endoscopy at Prime Indian Hospital, Arumbakkam, Chennai. Thirty participants aged 20–60 years were selected through non-probability purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria included first-time endoscopy patients without prior sedation. Exclusion criteria involved those on analgesics, anaesthetics, antidepressants, or with communication or mental impairments.

Result and Findings: The study showed a clear reduction in pain and anxiety levels after the intervention. Severe pain decreased from 50% to 26.7%, and high anxiety from 46.7% to 30%. A significant positive correlation was found between pain and anxiety before and after the procedure. No association was observed between post-test pain or anxiety and demographic variables, indicating consistent intervention effectiveness across all groups.

Conclusion: The study concluded that the intervention effectively reduced pain and anxiety levels in patients undergoing upper GI endoscopy.

Keywords: GI endoscopy, Stress balls, Pain, Anxiety.