Generic placeholder image

Current Psychiatry Research and Reviews

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2666-0822
ISSN (Online): 2666-0830

Research Article

The Effect of Tele-acupressure Self-practice for Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Community During COVID-19

Author(s): Yun Jin Kim*

Volume 16, Issue 4, 2020

Page: [267 - 274] Pages: 8

DOI: 10.2174/2666082216999201117124408

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: Preliminary studies support the clinical effect of acupressure in managing neuropsychiatric diseases. However, procedures for the selection of intervention and Tele-acupressure self-practice implementation techniques are lacking. This lack of information hinders further studies on the effect of Tele-acupressure self-practice and its subsequent clinical uses.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Tele-acupressure self-practice on the improvement of mental health as well as depression, anxiety and well-being during COVID-19 in Malaysia.

Methods: The goal of this work was to manage Tele-acupressure self-practice for mental health during COVID-19. All the participants (N=80) enrolled in this study were staying at one of the same communities. The participants were randomly allocated to one of the two groups; 40 participants were involved in the Tele-acupressure self-practice group, and 40 participants were involved in the Nonacupressure group. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and personal well-being (using the four Office for National Statistics personal well-being questions, ONS-4) were used to assess measurement. Data were collected at baseline and after four weeks of treatment.

Results: The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (6.29±1.65), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (7.20±0.65), anxiety score in well-being ONS-4 (3.34±0.38) were significantly lower; the happiness score in well-being ONS-4 (8.82±0.86) was significantly higher in the Tele-acupressure self-practice group compared with the Non-acupressure group in the after four week’s assessments. The two groups were not statistically different regarding satisfaction with life and sorthwhile in the well-being ONS-4 questionnaires.

Conclusions: Tele-acupressure self-practice had an effect than Non-acupressure in participants during COVID-19 pandemic. But, satisfaction with life and worthwhile in the well-being was better in both of the groups, which proved the participants became more relaxed. Tele-acupressure self-practice being used for the COVID-19 pandemic period facilitates the development of Malaysian public mental health intervention.

Keywords: Acupressure, depression, anxiety, well-being, COVID-19, tele-medicine.

Graphical Abstract
[1]
Zhou X, Snoswell CL, Harding LE, et al. The role of telehealth in reducing the mental health burden from covid-19. Telemed J E Health 2020; 26(4): 377-9.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2020.0068] [PMID: 32202977]
[2]
Liu S, Yang L, Zhang C, et al. Online mental health services in China during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7(4): e17-8.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30077-8] [PMID: 32085841]
[3]
The LP Mental health and COVID-19: change the conversation. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7(6): 463.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30194-2] [PMID: 32380007]
[4]
Li S, Wang Y, Xue J, et al. The impact of COVID-1i epidemic declaration on psychological consequences: a study on active weibo users. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17(6): 2032.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17062032]
[5]
Naomie S, Weng HC, Shuhaimi M, et al. COVID-19 epidemic in Malaysia: impact of lock-down on infection dynamics medRxiv 2020.
[6]
Duan L, Zhu G. Psychological interventions for people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7(4): 300-2.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30073-0] [PMID: 32085840]
[7]
Mercy Malaysia EMAAR Psychosocial Programme Available at:. https://www.mercy.org.my/programme/emaar-psychosocial-programme/2020
[8]
Ministry of Health Malaysia Mental Health and Psychosocial support in COVID-19Available at: https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Garis%20Panduan/COVID19/Annex_33_Mental_health_and_Psychosocial_support_23032020.pdf2020
[9]
Maa SH, Sun MF, Hsu KH, et al. Effect of acupuncture or acupressure on quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive asthma: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2003; 9(5): 659-70.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/107555303322524517] [PMID: 14629844]
[10]
Shen K, Cho Y, Pascoe EM, et al. The SIESTA trial: a randomized study investigating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of acupressure versus sham therapy for improving sleep quality in patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2017; 2017Article ID: 7570352
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7570352] [PMID: 28316636]
[11]
Waits A, Tang YR, Cheng HM, Tai CJ, Chien LY. Acupressure effect on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev 2018; 37: 24-34.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.12.004] [PMID: 28089414]
[12]
Hosseinabadi R, Biranvand S, Pournia Y, Anbari K. The effect of acupressure on pain and anxiety caused by venipuncture. J Infus Nurs 2015; 38(6): 397-405.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NAN.0000000000000065] [PMID: 26536327]
[13]
Amini Rarani S, Rajai N, Sharififar S. Effects of acupressure at the P6 and LI4 points on the anxiety level of soldiers in the Iranian military BMJ Mil Health 2020..
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2019-001332]
[14]
Cheng HY, Carol S, Wu B, Cheng YF. Effect of acupressure on postpartum low back pain, salivary cortisol, physical limitations, and depression: a randomized controlled pilot study. J Tradit Chin Med 2020; 40(1): 128-36.
[PMID: 32227774]
[15]
Smith CA, Armour M, Lee MS, Wang LQ, Hay PJ. Acupuncture for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018; 3(3)CD004046
[PMID: 29502347]
[16]
Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, et al. Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: a systematic review of the clinical research. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2018; 31: 31-7.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008] [PMID: 29705474]
[17]
Hamilton M. A rating scale for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1960; 23(1): 56-62.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.23.1.56] [PMID: 14399272]
[18]
Hamilton M. The assessment of anxiety states by rating. Br J Med Psychol 1959; 32(1): 50-5.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1959.tb00467.x] [PMID: 13638508]
[19]
Office of National Statistics Personal Well-being User GuidanceAvailable at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/methodologies/personalwellbeingsurveyuserguide2020
[20]
Kao CL, Chen CH, Lin WY, Chiao YC, Hsieh CL. Effect of auricular acupressure on peri- and early postmenopausal women with anxiety: a double-blinded, randomized, and controlled pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2012. 2012.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/567639] [PMID: 22649475]
[21]
Lane J. The neurochemistry of counterconditioning: acupressure desensitization in psychotherapy. Energy Psychol 2009; 1: 31-44.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.9769/EPJ.2009.1.1.JRL]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy