Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Jul 2023)
Effect of the Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Anxiety and Depression Status of COVID-19 Patients Treated in Fangcang Hospitals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
Haowei Li,1,* Hao Chen,2,3,* Zifeng Ye,4 Xuehang Li,1 Lei Yang,1,5 Shengshu Wang,1 Shanshan Yang,6 Shaohua Liu,1 Shimin Chen,1 Rongrong Li,1 Junhan Yang,1,3 Huaihao Li,1 Yinghui Bao,1 Yueting Shi,1,3 Jianhua Wang,1 Yao He,1,7 Miao Liu3 1Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aging and Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics Diseases, Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Healthcare Office of Medical Service Department, Hainan Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Medical Psychology of Hainan Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan, People’s Republic of China; 5Healthcare Office of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Disease Prevention and Control, First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 7State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yao He, Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aging and Geriatrics, National clinical research center for geriatrics diseases, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-66876411, Email [email protected] Miao Liu, Department of statistics and epidemiology, Graduate School of PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-66937715, Email [email protected]: As the focal point of epidemic prevention and control, the mental health of COVID-19 patients cannot be ignored. Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) allows for the provision of conveniently accessible, effective and low-cost interventions on a large scale. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of an online MBSR intervention in alleviating anxiety and depression among asymptomatic/mild patients limited by COVID-19-related restrictions.Methods: Fifty-eight patients treated in Sanya Fangcang hospital were randomly allocated to either to the experimental group (n = 29) following daily, for 5 days, an online-based mindfulness intervention or to the control group (n = 29). Patients from both groups underwent online questionnaires including assessment of anxiety and depression status at pre- and post-tests using Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale.Results: After the online-based MBSR program, the anxiety and depression scores of the patients in the MBSR group decreased significantly in comparison to the scores of those in the control group (respectively η2 = 0.175, η2 = 0.215, p < 0.001). And the proportion of severe anxiety and depression patients in the MBSR group decreased to 0% which lower than the control group, and the proportion of light anxiety and depression patients was significantly more than that in the control group after the MBSR intervention.Conclusion: The online-based MBSR intervention appears to be an effective way of alleviating anxiety and depression symptoms among COVID-19 patients with associated quarantine in Fangcang hospital. Given the seriousness of mental health threat that could be posed by this ongoing pandemic, our study provides a new idea and method for cost-effective and time-efficient interventions in the future of epidemic prevention and control.Keywords: COVID-19 patients, online mindfulness, psychological intervention, anxiety, depression
