Feasibility of Mind-Body Intervention to Promote Wellness in Injured Soldiers

Abstract

The purpose was to assess the feasibility of Qigong practice in wounded, ill and injured military Service members who had been deployed; effects on stress, sleep, and somatic symptoms; and to evaluate participants experience. Wounded, ill and injured military Service members experience significant stress and are at risk for developing chronic conditions. Wellness practices such as Qigong may positively impact their ability to engage in successful rehabilitation. A single-group, pre-and post-test, mixed-method pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of offering 20 Integral Qigong classes in a 10-week program to wounded, ill and injured military Service members in rehabilitation at a Military Treatment Facility. Feasibility outcomes included levels of attendance, attrition, dropouts, and home practice. Efficacy outcomes included stress, sleep, and somatic symptoms. Pre- and post-questionnaires and exit interviews were administered using Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patient Health Questionnaire -15 (PHQ-15), and a Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ). Content Analysis methodology was used to analyze the interview data. Twenty male and six female outpatient military personnel receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for deployment-related injury were enrolled. Their ages ranged from 20-53 years (M=35, SD=9.3). Analysis: Means, standard deviations and ranges for attendance, missed classes and home practice were calculated. Paired t-tests were used to compare mean scores at baseline to post intervention for those who completed post-questionnaires. Associations between attendance rates and outcome scores were analyzed. Findings: Participants attended an average of 8.14 classes (SD= 4.9); average engagement was 5.7 (SD 3.5) weeks. Reasons for dropout included discharge (n=5), schedule conflict (n=1) and unknown (n=5). Seven participants completed post-questionnaire

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 06, 2012
Accession Number
ADA608098

Entities

People

  • Sara T. Breckenridge-sproat

Organizations

  • Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attrition
  • Brain Injuries
  • Deployment
  • Education
  • Electronic Mail
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Information Science
  • Intervention
  • Knowledge Management
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • Mobile Phones
  • Pain
  • Pilot Studies
  • Training

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.
  • Trauma or Military Medicine