Effect of Structured Yoga Program on Stress and Well-being Among Frontline Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic.
Cureus 2023;
15:e43081. [PMID:
37680404 PMCID:
PMC10482358 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.43081]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT
Frontline healthcare workers are at risk of developing psychological distress during a pandemic. Yoga, a form of mind-body medicine can reduce body stress and increases well-being.
AIMS
To assess the effect of yoga on the stress and well-being of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN
This single-arm pre-post study was conducted among frontline health workers (support staff, paramedics, and medics) posted at a secondary care hospital in a North Indian district.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Basic demographic details, blood pressure, anthropometric variables like height, weight, and biochemical variables like glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb1Ac), fasting and post-prandial blood sugar, lipid profile, serum cortisol, and C-reactive protein were measured. Stress levels were assessed using the depression anxiety and stress scale (DASS)-21 while well-being was assessed using the World Health Organization (WHO)-5 well-being scale. Twelve weeks of supervised yoga session was provided for 1 hour per session, 3 times per week.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
The mean value was compared from baseline to post-intervention with paired t-test/Wilcoxon signed rank test.
RESULT
A total of 89 participants were enrolled, 53 (59.5%) being male. Two-thirds of the participants were aged 20-39 years. During follow-up, 80 participants completed 12 weeks of yoga sessions. Post-intervention DASS-21 score decreased and WHO-5 increased significantly. The glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and cholesterol-HDL ratio decreased significantly. Other variables didn't change significantly. No adverse effects were reported by the participants.
CONCLUSION
Supervised structured yoga sessions helped decrease stress, depression, and anxiety and improved well-being. Therefore, it can be a feasible strategy to manage workplace-related stress and phycological morbidities.
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