title: Evaluation of the effect of Spiritual care on patients with generalized anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: The present study was conducted to assess the effect of spiritual care in patients with depression, anxiety or both in a randomized controlled design. The participants were randomized either to receive spiritual care or not and Hamilton anxiety rating scale-A (HAM-A), Hamilton depression rating scale-D (HAM-D), WHO-quality of life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) and Functional assessment of chronic illness therapy - Spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp) were assessed before therapy and two follow-ups at 3 and 6 week. However, with regard to the spiritual care therapy group, statistically significant differences were observed in both HAM-A and HAM-D scales between the baseline and visit 2 (p < 0.001), thus significantly reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed for any of the scales during the follow-up periods for the control group of participants. When the scores were compared between the study groups, HAM-A, HAM-D and FACIT-Sp 12 scores were significantly lower in the interventional group as compared to the control group at both third and sixth weeks. This suggests a significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety and depression in the spiritual care therapy group than the control group; however, large randomized controlled trials with robust design are needed to confirm the same.
authors.affiliation: a Medical Research Department, Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute, Mumbai , India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sankhe
authors.affiliation: a Medical Research Department, Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute, Mumbai , India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.affiliation: a Medical Research Department, Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute, Mumbai , India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Save
authors.affiliation: a Medical Research Department, Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute, Mumbai , India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarve
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine; Spiritual Care; psychiatric diseases