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Research: CHANG and others,
Listed in Issue 105
Abstract
CHANG and others, Center for Health Quality, Outcomes, and Economic Research, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA 01730, USA, bhchang@bu.edu, have carried out a qualitative study of the relaxation response in patients with congestive heart failure.
Background
The aim of the study was to assess the effects on physical and emotional wellbeing of relaxation training on patients with congestive heart failure.
Methodology
57 veterans with congestive heart failure participated in a three-armed trial that compared relaxation response training with cardiac education and standard care. The participants were interviewed about their experiences and the interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed.
Results
10 of the 20 Relaxation Group interviewees reported physical improvements, and 13 reported emotional improvements, improvements going beyond disease management to lifestyle changes and improved relationships. Compared to this, 5 of the 16 Cardiac Education Group interviewees reported physical improvement, and 8 reported emotional improvements. These consisted of better understanding of the disease and resultant reduced anxiety. None of the Standard Care Group interviewees reported any improvements from the study participation.
Conclusion
It is thought that group support contributed to the improvements seen in the Cardiac Education and Relaxation groups, but clearly relaxation response training produces improvements over and above this. The study underpins the value of relaxation training in cardiac health care.
References
Chang BH, Jones D, Hendricks A, Boehmer U, Locastro JS, Slawsky M. Relaxation response for Veterans Affairs patients with congestive heart failure: results from a qualitative study within a clinical trial. Preventive Cardiology 7 (2): 64-70, Spring 2004.
Comment
The improvements seen with relaxation for heart failure over that seen with cardiac education and standard care may be an important result; however the research needs to be replicated with larger cohorts.