Relationship between the introduction of aromatherapy into a gynecological waiting room and patient satisfaction

Abstract

This study aims to explore ideal ways to introduce aromatherapy into gynecological waiting rooms by identifying the relationship between the use of aromatherapy in gynecological waiting rooms and patient satisfaction. Study participants were 200 females who used a gynecological waiting room at Seaman’s Insurance Hokkaido Healthcare Center in November and December, 2020. Before administering the survey, the researcher diffused the scent of essential oils in the gynecological waiting room using an aroma light. Afterward, a questionnaire survey was conducted to ask patients about their level of satisfaction with the introduction of aromatherapy into the gynecological waiting room, as well as the strength and preferences of fragrances. The participants reported their satisfaction levels with aromatherapy as follows: “very satisfied” (33.7%), “somewhat satisfied” (34.2%), “neither” (30.6%), “somewhat dissatisfied” (1.0%), and “very dissatisfied” (0.0%). When asked whether the introduction of aromatherapy improved their satisfaction level with the Seaman’s Insurance Hokkaido Healthcare Center, the participants answered “improved” (78.6%) and “not improved” (18.4%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the improvement in satisfaction with the healthcare center after the introduction of aromatherapy and the participants’ perceived intensity of the scent (chi-square test=15.36, p<.001). The findings suggest that introducing aromatherapy into gynecological waiting rooms may contribute to patient satisfaction. When introducing aromatherapy into gynecological waiting rooms, it is necessary to consider the strength of the fragrance and the type of essential oil used.