Most Proposed Topic :
Healthcare Advances, Research and Innovations (new projects / technology)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Research and Innovations (new projects / technology / innovations / service models)
Authors: (including presenting author): :
Chan YL (1), Chan YP(2), Suen WC(1), Hui YS(1), Cheng WS(2)
Affiliation: :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, TWGHs Wong Tai Sin Hospital
(2) Occupational Therapy Department, Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital
Introduction: :
Terminal condition patients often experience debilitating symptoms such as fatigue and anxiety, which can significantly affect their quality of life. In recent years, Health Qigong has emerged as a potentially effective complementary therapy for managing these symptoms. However, it is still controversial whether adapted Taixu Health Qigong (HQG) performed in sitting position is a beneficial media to alleviate fatigue and anxious symptoms in patients with terminal conditions, especially when patients are already too tired to mobilize.
Objectives: :
To examine the effectiveness of adapted HQG on the impact of fatigue and anxiety in patients with terminal conditions
Methodology: :
Subjects were inpatients with terminal conditions of either cancer or end-stage renal failure in a palliative ward. Subjects were given 2 weeks training of adapted HQG with at least 2 sessions of 15 minutes training per week, either individual or group based. Coordinate breathing techniques and activity pacing were emphasized during the training.
Outcome measures included: (1) The World Health Organisation Five Well-being Index (WHO-5), (2) Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) on Fatigue and Anxiety, (3) European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative scores (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL).
Outcome measures were administered at the initial intake and final session for comparison. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used for statistical analysis.
Result & Outcome: :
From September 2023 to January 2024, 17 patients were recruited and 8 patients eventually dropped out of the study due to deterioration and unstable medical conditions. 9 patients who have completed the study and 33.3% were female. Their mean age was 73.7. Subjects were having lung cancer (33.3%), cervix cancer (22.2%), and others(44.4%).
There was a significant difference in NRS on fatigue and anxiety score in the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL. No difference was shown in the WHO-5, NRS on anxiety and other components in the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL.
Conclusions:
Adapted HQG showed some effectiveness in alleviating fatigue and anxiety symptoms in terminally ill patients. However, a larger sample size with control group settings were suggested for stronger evidence and to eliminate the confounding variables for the effectiveness of adapted HQG.
