A Study of Activity Leader to Forest Therapy Campaign in Different Environments Targets on the Participants Which Had Been Infected by SARS-COV-2

NCT ID: NCT06601920

Last Updated: 2024-09-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 161 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-02-27
• Study Completion Date: 2024-01-17

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the impact of self-guided forest healing activities and guided forest healing activities on the reduction of psychological stress inindividuals diagnosed with the new coronavirus. The main questions aim to answer are:

1. Effectiveness of Forest Healing Activities on Emotional Well-being: Researchers will compare the emotional improvement effects between self-guided and guided forest healing activities to determine their effectiveness.

2. Comparison of Healing Effects in Different Locations: Researchers will compare the effects of forest healing activities conducted in two similar environments, the Taipei Botanical Garden and the Chiayi Arboretum, to assess whether location influences outcomes despite similar altitude and latitude.

Participants who have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus will be recived two hours of guided forest healing activities or self-guided forest healing activities.

Detailed Description

In response to the psychosocial conditions arising from the ongoing pandemic, forest healing offers a corresponding solution. Forest healing activities have shown good adaptability in addressing conditions such as depression and anxiety. A systematic big data analysis paper highlights a significant decrease in depression following forest healing, with a Test overall effect Z=-6.204, as well as a similar significant reduction in anxiety with a Test overall effect Z=-4.183 (Yeon et al., 2021). For urban dwellers, a systematic review of big data on healing activities conducted in forest environments demonstrates significant normalization of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, an increase in the parasympathetic-to-sympathetic nervous system ratio, and a reduction in salivary cortisol concentration, with blood pressure shifting closer to normal indicators and salivary cortisol levels showing a downward trend after activities (Park et al., 2010; Qiu et al., 2022). Among populations exposed to chronic stressors, cortisol levels are higher compared to normal groups (Miller et al., 2007), and elevated salivary amylase activity is also noted compared to control groups (Vineetha et al., 2014). Therefore, forest healing significantly improves conditions like anxiety and depression, as reflected in the reduction of salivary cortisol concentrations.

Conditions

Post COVID-19 Syndrome; Stress Disorders; Life Quality; Depression Anxiety Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Guided and then self-guided in Taipei Botanical Garden

One group will get guided forest healing activities during the first period of the trial, and then self-guided during the second period in Taipei Botanical Garden.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Forest healing activities

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The two-hour forest healing activity, led by horticultural therapists from the Taiwan Horticultural Therapy Association, includes activities such as leaf stacking on stones, listening to sounds with closed eyes, body stretching, blindfolded tree identification, \"my tree friend,\" earth mandala creation, tea tasting, and sharing of reflections.

Self-guided and then guided in Taipei Botanical Garden

One group will get "self-guided healing activities" during the first period of the trial, and then "guided forest healing activities" during the second period in Taipei Botanical Garden.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Forest healing activities

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The two-hour forest healing activity, led by horticultural therapists from the Taiwan Horticultural Therapy Association, includes activities such as leaf stacking on stones, listening to sounds with closed eyes, body stretching, blindfolded tree identification, \"my tree friend,\" earth mandala creation, tea tasting, and sharing of reflections.

Guided and then self-guided in Chiayi Arboretum.

One group will get "guided forest healing activities" during the first period of the trial, and then "self-guided healing activities" during the second period in Chiayi Arboretum.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Forest healing activities

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The two-hour forest healing activity, led by horticultural therapists from the Taiwan Horticultural Therapy Association, includes activities such as leaf stacking on stones, listening to sounds with closed eyes, body stretching, blindfolded tree identification, \"my tree friend,\" earth mandala creation, tea tasting, and sharing of reflections.

Self-guided and then guided in Chiayi Arboretum

One group will get "self-guided healing activities" during the first period of the trial, and then "guided forest healing activities" during the second period in Chiayi Arboretum.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Forest healing activities

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The two-hour forest healing activity, led by horticultural therapists from the Taiwan Horticultural Therapy Association, includes activities such as leaf stacking on stones, listening to sounds with closed eyes, body stretching, blindfolded tree identification, \"my tree friend,\" earth mandala creation, tea tasting, and sharing of reflections.

Interventions

Forest healing activities

The two-hour forest healing activity, led by horticultural therapists from the Taiwan Horticultural Therapy Association, includes activities such as leaf stacking on stones, listening to sounds with closed eyes, body stretching, blindfolded tree identification, \"my tree friend,\" earth mandala creation, tea tasting, and sharing of reflections.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Forest therapy

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) and have completed their isolation.
• Participants aged 18 years or older who voluntarily agree to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals who do not have the capability and stamina to walk for more than 120 minutes.
• Current smokers, betel nut chewers, or individuals who consume alcohol (more than five standard drinks in any situation).
• Individuals with a history of substance addiction (including both narcotic and non-narcotic drugs).
• Participants currently involved in another clinical trial or undergoing an intervention trial follow-up.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• Situations where participants are unable to cooperate (e.g., inability to participate after random assignment or refusal to sign the informed consent form).

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Forestry Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Taiwan

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Taipei City Hospital

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Chung-Hua Hsu

Superintendent, Branch of Linsen Chinese Medicine and Kunming, Taipei City Hospital

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Chung-Hua Hsu, MD., PhD.

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Branch of Linsen Chinese Medicine and Kunming, Taipei City Hospital

Locations

Branch of Linsen Chinese Medicine and Kunming, Taipei City Hospital

Taipei, , Taiwan

Countries

Taiwan

References

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Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 36934851 (View on PubMed)

Yeon PS, Jeon JY, Jung MS, Min GM, Kim GY, Han KM, Shin MJ, Jo SH, Kim JG, Shin WS. Effect of Forest Therapy on Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 1;18(23):12685. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312685.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 34886407 (View on PubMed)

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Kim JG, Shin WS. Forest Therapy Alone or with a Guide: Is There a Difference between Self-Guided Forest Therapy and Guided Forest Therapy Programs? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 29;18(13):6957. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18136957.

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Other Identifiers

112A040-04

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

TCHIRB-11112011

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id