title: Influence of Intensity and Duration of Yoga on Anxiety and Depression Scores Associated with Chronic Illness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic illness is commonly associated with anxiety and depression. Both anxiety and depression respond to yoga. However, there is no report on the association between the intensity and duration of yoga practice with the benefits seen.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was intended to determine whether the daily duration of yoga practice and the duration of experience in months would predict anxiety and depression, associated with chronic illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred and sixty-three volunteers with ages between 14 and 86 years (group mean age standard deviation, 50.2 [14.2]) who attended a 7 day residential yoga camp in the north of India were included in this cross-sectional study. All participants had chronic illnesses, which were under control with treatment, and which were categorized and are detailed. Participants were assessed for state anxiety scores using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and for anxiety with hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS-A), and depression was assessed using HADS-D scores of the HADS. Linear multiple regression analyses were performed using PASW SPSS version 18.0 (Armonk, New York, U.S.) to determine how the daily and monthly duration of yoga practice could influence state anxiety, hospital anxiety and depression of the participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Yoga practice in months and the time spent practicing yoga each day significantly predict the level of state anxiety (P < 0.001, P = 0.03) and HAD-A (P < 0.01, P < 0.01). The duration of yoga practice in months alone was a significant predictor of the HAD-D (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the duration of yoga practice in months and daily practice in minutes predict anxiety associated with chronic illness. In contrast the duration of yoga practice in months alone, predicted depression scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Yoga Research, Patanjali Research Foundation, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Telles
authors.affiliation: Department of Yoga Research, Patanjali Research Foundation, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.affiliation: Department of Yoga Research, Patanjali Research Foundation, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Yoga Research, Patanjali Research Foundation, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Yoga Research, Patanjali Research Foundation, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balkrishna
keywords: Anxiety; Chronic illness; Depression; Linear multiple regression; Yoga practice