Effect of Sunlight Exposure and Outdoor Activities on Depression, Cognition and Quality of Life in the Elderly

Chiayi Christian Hospital

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Aging; Cognitive Impairment; Quality of Life; Depression in Old Age; Nursing Homes

Treatments: Behavioral: sunlight exposure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03304301

104114

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background: The transition to long-term care facility can be a stressful and emotional event for the elderly. The evidences showed that the prevalence of depression and the cognition impairment were higher in the institutionalized elderly than the community dwelling elderly. It could affect the quality of life of the elderly and increase risk of mortality.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of outdoor activities and sunlight exposure on depression, cognitive function, and quality of life among institutionalized elderly.

Method: The design is a randomized control trial. Participants will be randomly allocated to experimental or control groups by block randomization. In the experimental group, participants will be encouraged to reduce time spent on bed and bedroom. Nurses, nurse aids or family will take participants outdoors and exposure their face, hands or arm to sunlight for 15-30 minutes a day, five days a week for three months (if the UV index is over 8 according to the forecast of Center Weather Bureau, the participants will be asked to stay inside). In the control group, the participants will receive routine care. The control group will neither be encouraged to stay outdoors nor limit the chance to exposure to sunlight.

Expected outcome: The expected benefit of the research is to improve the depression, cognitive function, and quality of life of the institutionalized elderly.

Enrollment: 74 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• resident in the long-term care facility for at least 6 months
• Barthel Index score is equal or over 20
• able to communicate
• life expectancy over 12 months
• conscious clear

Exclusion criteria

• allergy to sunlight
• diagnosed with skin cancer

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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74 participants in 2 patient groups

experimental group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will be encouraged to reduce time spent on bed and bedroom. We will also take participants outdoors and expose to sunlight (if the UV index is over 8 according to the forecast of Center Weather Bureau, the participants will be asked to stay inside) five days a week for three months.

Treatment:

Behavioral: sunlight exposure

control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will receive routine care.