NCT02060123

Qigong Intervention Program for Abused Chinese Women

A Randomized, Wait-list Controlled Trial of a Qigong Intervention Program on Telomerase Activity and Psychological Stress in Abused Chinese Women

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 271 (actual)
• Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a qigong intervention program on telomerase activity in Chinese women with a history of intimate partner violence.

Detailed description

Qigong is a mind-body exercise rooted in the paradigm of traditional Chinese medicine, aiming to achieve a harmonious flow of energy (qi) in the body through gentle movements and is thus considered as a holistic health practice towards promoting physical and mental well-being and improving longevity. It was suggested that qigong exercise, as a stress management strategy, could be effective in improving psychological symptoms, as well as enhancing cellular telomerase activity by reducing oxidative stress level and regulating immune response. The study is to evaluate the effects of a qigong intervention on telomerase activity and pro-inflammation cytokines, perceived stress, perceived coping, and depressive symptoms in Chinese women with a history of intimate partner violence. The study design is a randomized, wait-list controlled design with intervention and wait-list control groups. A total of 240 Chinese abused women will be recruited. The qigong intervention program consists of: (i) a 2-hr group qigong training twice a week for 6 weeks; (ii) weekly group follow-up of a 1-hour group qigong exercise for 4 months; and (iii) self-practice of qigong exercise for 30 minutes each day throughout the intervention period lasting 5.5 months. It is hypothesized that the participants in the intervention group will have higher levels of telomerase activity and perceived coping, and lower levels of pro-inflammation cytokines, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms, on completion of a qigong intervention program, compared to abused Chinese women in the wait-list control group.

Conditions

• Abused Women

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Qigong training	a total of 103 hours over a period of 5.5 months, consisting of: * Group learning and practice: a 2-hour qigong exercise training session will be provided by a qigong master twice a week for six consecutive weeks (24 hours), * Weekly group follow-up: a 1-hour qigong exercise will be conducted with reinforcement of learning and remedial teaching by a qigong master once a week for four consecutive months (16 hours) after the group learning and practice, and * Self-practice: participant will engage in qigong exercise for 30 minutes every day for the whole intervention period lasting 5.5 months (63 hours).
OTHER	Wait-list control- Health talks	Monthly health education talks unrelated to qigong will be provided starting from the point when the intervention group starts the qigong weekly follow-up.Once the intervention group has completed the qigong intervention program, the wait-list control group will receive the qigong exercise training.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-03-01
• Primary completion: 2016-05-01
• Completion: 2016-05-01
• First posted: 2014-02-11
• Last updated: 2016-06-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China