Effects of Qigong in patients with burnout: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of Qigong in rehabilitation for patients with burnout.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Eighty-two patients (68 women and 14 men, mean age 44.3 (standard deviation 9.1) years) diagnosed with burnout.


METHODS
Basic care was offered to both the intervention and the control group. Patients in the intervention group received basic care and, in addition, performed Qigong twice a week for 12 weeks. Psychological variables, health-related quality of life, perceived relaxation and physical measurements were assessed at baseline and after the intervention period.


RESULTS
No significant difference in treatment efficacy between the groups was found by either intention-to-treat or per-protocol analyses. Both groups improved significantly over time, with reduced levels of burnout, fatigue, anxiety and depression, and increased dynamic balance and physical capacity.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, a Qigong intervention twice a week for 12 weeks had no additional effect beyond basic care for patients with burnout.
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. therese.stenlund@vll.se
Therese
T
Stenlund
Lisbeth Slunga
LS
Birgander
Bernt
B
Lindahl
Leif
L
Nilsson
Christina
C
Ahlgren
D000328:Adult; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome