Physical Activity Intervention for Trauma Afflicted Refugees

Swedish Red Cross University College

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity; PTSD; Depression, Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Physical activity intervention; Behavioral: Brief psycho-education

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04065126

2017/1174-31

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates the effects of a 10-session physical activity intervention for trauma afflicted refugees. Half of participants will receive this 10-session physical activity intervention and half of the participants will be allocated to the control group.

Full description

Physical activity, particularly when performed in social settings, has been found to constitute an effective stress reliever and has been associated with improved physical and mental well-being, functional capacity and overall life satisfaction, as well as decreased risk of lifestyle diseases in various populations. Physical activity can also revert symptoms of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, social isolation and dissociation, which is common among trauma afflicted refugees. Many refugees also suffer from PTSD, and so the investigator's aim is to evaluate what effect a 10-session physical activity intervention will have on the mental and physical health of trauma afflicted refugees in a northern European country. The sessions will include physical exercise as well as psychoeducational components, and will be held by a physiotherapist over a period of ten weeks. The physical activity intervention group will be compared to a control-group, who receives two brief lectures on psycho-education in connection to baseline-assessment and follow-up.

Enrollment: 183 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 69 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Arabic/Persian speaking persons.
• Persons with refugee background referred to the Swedish Red Cross Treatment Center for trauma related to war and/or torture.
• Person able to undertake physical activity in a group setting.

Exclusion criteria

• Current serious suicidal ideation, psychosis, serious cognitive impairments, current substance abuse, acute physical injuries or other health conditions that constrain physical activity.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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183 participants in 2 patient groups

Physical activity Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

This arm receives ten two-hour group sessions with physical activity and psycho-educational components, held by a physiotherapist over a period of ten weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Physical activity intervention

Brief Psycho-education

Active Comparator group

Description:

This arm receives two brief lectures of psycho-education held by a physiotherapist.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Brief psycho-education