The Effects of Laughter Therapy on Hemodialysis on Depression (LOL-HD)

Satellite Healthcare

Status: Completed

Conditions: End Stage Kidney Disease

Treatments: Behavioral: Laughter Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04098627

SIH109_LOLRCT

Details and patient eligibility

About

End stage kidney disease is associated with increased depression. Laughter is associated with improvement in depression in chronic disease. The study objective was to measure the effect of intradialytic group laughter therapy on anxiety and depression. Pragmatic randomized controlled trial conducted in 10 hemodialysis centers in Northern California. The intervention group received a once weekly 30-minute long group laughter therapy session for 8 weeks. Primary outcome was depression score as measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire.

Enrollment: 152 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and currently undergoing hemodialysis at a Satellite Healthcare Hemodialysis Center
• Ability to understand English

Exclusion criteria

• Cognitive impairment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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152 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Once weekly 30-minute long group laughter therapy session for 8 weeks while patients are on dialysis

Treatment:

Behavioral: Laughter Therapy

Usual Care

No Intervention group

Description:

Usual care