Studies on the Efficacy of Reiki

Integrative Reiki for cancer patients: a program evaluation (2014)

Source: FLEISHER, K.A., MACKENZIE, E.R., FRANKEL, E.S. et al. Integrative Reiki for cancer patients: a program evaluation. Integrative Cancer Therapies [online]. 2014 Jan;13(1):627. doi: 10.1177/1534735413503547. Epub 2013 Oct 7. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA [cit. 2018-07-28]. Available from:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24105356

Published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Integrative Cancer Therapies – ict.sagepub.co .

Detail: Of the 213 pre-post surveys of first-time sessions in the evaluation period, we observed a more than 50% decrease in self-reported distress (from 3.80 to 1.55), anxiety (from 4.05 to 1.44), depression (from 2.54 to 1.10), pain (from 2.58 to 1.21), and fatigue (from 4.80 to 2.30) with P < .001 for all. Using conservative estimates that treat missing data as not endorsing Reiki, we found 176 (82.6%) of participants liked the Reiki session, 176 (82.6%) found the Reiki session helpful, 157 (73.7%) plan to continue using Reiki, and 175 (82.2%) would recommend Reiki to others.

Conclusion: Qualitative analyses found that individuals reported that Reiki induced relaxation and enhanced spiritual well-being. An integrative Reiki volunteer program shows promise as a component of supportive care for cancer patients. More research is needed to evaluate and understand the impact that Reiki may have for patients, caregivers, and staff whose lives have been affected by cancer.