Stress Balls in Gynecologic Exams: A Patient Comfort Trial

Improving Patient Experience in Gynecologic Examinations With a Stress Ball: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Women's anxiety about gynecological examinations causes them to skip examinations during this process. Research shows that women with high levels of anxiety are more likely to feel pain. Women who can manage their anxiety can increase their satisfaction by reducing pain levels during the examination . The stress ball has the potential to improve the patient experience by reducing these anxieties. This will positively affect women's willingness to participate in gynecological examinations and follow-up processes.

Secondary outcomes (anxiety and patient satisfaction) were pre-specified in the ethics committee-approved study protocol and were collected as planned. These outcomes were inadvertently omitted from the initial trial registry entry and have now been added to accurately reflect the original protocol.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being between the ages of 18-35,
• Being literate, knowing and understanding Turkish,
• Don't have a pap-smear test for the first time,

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of chronic pain in the pelvic region,
• Presence of a condition in the wrists that prevents squeezing the stress ball,
• Congenital malformation of the cervix, .Having a known diagnosis of a serious psychiatric illness.