A Feasibility Study to Determine Whether the Botanical Garden Become a Region of Forest Therapy for Cancer Survivors

Taipei City Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Neoplasms; Mental Health Disorder; Depression; Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Forest Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06001723

TCHIRB-11104010

Details and patient eligibility

About

The forest healing system is an important topic of alternative therapy in recent years. To investigates forest therapy's effectiveness in alleviating negative emotions among post-cancer patients. It compares therapy outcomes at Taipei Botanical Garden and Fushan Botanical Garden. Utilizing a pretest-posttest experimental design, a two-hour guided forest healing activity serves as the intervention method. Data collection involves instrumental tests and saliva samples.

Full description

Introduction:

Cancer's global impact persists, ranking among the top three causes of death in Taiwan. Despite improved survival rates after cancer surgery, negative emotions among patients remain a challenge. Post-cancer depression adversely affects treatment outcomes and overall quality of life. Forest therapy, a natural healing approach, has gained attention for its potential to reduce stress, mitigate negative emotions, and enhance well-being.

Objectives:

This study investigates forest therapy's effectiveness in alleviating negative emotions among post-cancer patients. It compares therapy outcomes at Taipei Botanical Garden and Fushan Botanical Garden. Additionally, the study explores the lasting emotional benefits of forest therapy.

Methods:

Utilizing a pretest-posttest experimental design, this study is conducted at the Botanical Garden in Fushan, Taipei. Participants are cancer patients who are six months post-treatment. A two-hour guided forest healing activity serves as the intervention method. Data collection involves instrumental tests and saliva samples. A comparable location adjacent to Taipei Botanical Garden, excluding urban areas, is selected for comparison activities. Portable heart rhythm monitors track data, and saliva samples are analyzed for salivary α-amylase enzyme kinetics and cortisol concentrations. The study employs questionnaires including the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition-Adult short (POMS2-A short), Beck Depression Inventory-Second edition (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the abbreviated Taiwan version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF).

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 36 to 82 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Over 20 year-old
• Cancer patients finished cancer treatments more than 6 months (regardless hormone therapy)
• Voluntary attendance

Exclusion criteria

• People who unable to walk for at least 120 minutes
• People who still smoking, chewing betel nut or drinking alcohol (over five standard cups in any situation)
• People who addicted to medicine
• People who attend another clinical trial at the same time or in the follow-up period of an interventional trial
• Pregnant women or breast feeding
• Other conditions that participants unable to cooperate with

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Sequential Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50 participants in 1 patient group

Forest Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

This is a pretest-posttest designed experiment. A two-hour guided forest healing activity was used as an intervention method. For the purpose of comparison, an urban area adjacent to the Taipei Botanical Garden, specifically the Wanhua district, was selected. This choice ensures the exclusion of extensive green spaces commonly used for walking.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Forest Therapy