Evaluation of a Tai Chi Qigong program in improving the psychological distress in Chinese patient with heart failure in Hong Kong

26^th World Congress on Nursing Care

May 21-23, 2018 Osaka, Japan

Chan Keung-Sum

Tung Wah College, Hong Kong

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Heart Failure (HF) is a major and escalating public health problem that affects millions of people in both developed and industrialized countries. HF affects patient's functional capacity that leads to considerable psychological distress and low quality of life. The psychological impact of heart failure contributes to patient's feelings of poor self-esteem, hopelessness, and depression. Tai Chi Qigong (TCQ), a traditional Chinese health-promoting exercise with low to moderate intensity, is worldwide believed to be beneficial to the cardiac system. Moreover, it embodies a meditative component that may enhance stress management and mood management, as well as provide important psychological benefits for HF patients. The aim of this study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of a TCQ program in improving the psychological distress in terms of self-esteem, level of hope and depression. In this single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 195 heart failure patients were recruited from the six medical wards. Subjects were randomly assigned into one of the three groups: Intervention group (TCQ), attention-control (information) and control (usual care) group. Data were collected at baseline, four weeks, three months and six months. The outcome measures were Rosenberg's self-esteem scale, Herth hope index and The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Analyses involved three groups pre-test and repeated post-test, within and between subjects tests. The results indicated that no significant difference was found in the demographic data. The results showed in the intervention group reported statistically significant higher scores in self-esteem, and hope as well as lower scores in depressive symptoms than the control groups across the four time periods. To conclude, TCQ is an effective program that could be used for improving the psychological distress in the patients with heart failure in Hong Kong Chinese population.

Biography :

Chan Keung-sum has completed his PhD from Australian National University, Australia in Medicine Faculty. He is an Assistant Professor, teaching Bachelor of Health Science major in Nursing in the Tung Wah College, Hong Kong. He has published papers in reputed journals and has been serving as a Journal PeerReviewer in several renowned journals.
Email:kschan@twc.edu.hk