Integrative Medicine for Hospital Workers Exposed to War

Anxiety Clinical Trial

Official title:

Assessing the Impact of Integrative Medicine on Anxiety and Wellbeing of Hospital Workers Exposed Directly or Indirectly to Terror, Trauma or War

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06190964
• Other study ID #: 0105-23-BNZ
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 21, 2023
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: December 2023
• Source: Bnai Zion Medical Center
• Contact: Samuel Attias, PhD
• Phone: 972-52-4707304
• Email: samuel.attias[@]b-zion.org.il
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

During the "Iron Swords" war in Israel in 2023, the residents of the Gaza Strip and the surrounding area, along with the soldiers of the security service, were exposed to a very high intensity of trauma. Added to this is an extensive cycle of trauma for those who were directly and indirectly exposed to loss and terror throughout the country. Medical teams in the hospitals and in the community were exposed with the highest intensity to these traumatic aspects which were amplified by the collapse of many of the resilience and mental health centers in the south.

An integrative medicine treatment clinic was established at the Bnai Zion Medical Center for the purpose of providing a response to all hospital employees who are exposed and will be exposed (directly or indirectly) to the wounded and patients expressing trauma, including symptoms of acute stress disorder, as a result of war and terrorism. Hospital employees are invited to register for complementary medicine treatments on the hospital's website according to indications that include anxiety, emotional distress and/or typical Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) symptoms, including physical distress (such as pain, breathing disorder, digestive system symptoms, exhaustion, etc.). The employees are treated by a team from the system for integrative medicine, including practitioners of acupuncture; touch/movement techniques (for example, qigong, reflexology, shiatsu) or mind-body medicine (for example, relaxation and breathing exercises) and may include one or more of the above 3 treatment areas.

In the proposed study, the investigators plan to examine the effect of these treatments on various symptoms experienced by hospital employees during this period.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 500
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: December 31, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hospital employees

• Anxiety, emotional distress and/or typical ASD symptoms directly or indirectly related to exposure to the trauma of terrorism or war

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anxiety
• Anxiety Disorders

Intervention

Other:
• Integrative medicine
Acupuncture; touch/movement techniques (for example, qigong, reflexology, shiatsu) and/or mind-body medicine (for example, relaxation and breathing exercises)

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Israel	Bnai Zion Medical Center	Haifa

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Bnai Zion Medical Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Israel, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Symptom relief	Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCAW) questionnaire: minimum value: 0; maximum value: 6; higher score means worse outcome.	Before intervention; 24 hours after intervention
Secondary	Stress and anxiety	Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) questionnaire: minimum value: 0; maximum value: 63; higher score means worse outcome.	Before intervention; 4 to 8 weeks after intervention