Polarity Therapy for American Indian Caregivers of Dementia Patients

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title:

Polarity Therapy for Dementia Caregivers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00100035
• Other study ID #: R21AT001627-01A1
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• First received: December 22, 2004
• Last updated: April 21, 2008
• Start date: August 2004
• Est. completion date: April 2007

Study information

• Verified date: April 2008
• Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of polarity therapy (PT), a complementary and alternative medicine treatment, in American Indian caregivers living in the Pacific Northwest.

Description:

The caregivers of people with dementia experience high levels of stress and are at particularly high risk for physical and mental illness. Although stress and illness are serious problems among American Indian caregivers in the Northwest, few studies have concentrated on this population. PT is a treatment that involves awareness of one's energy field and touch therapy; it has been shown to provide several physiological, biological, and psychological benefits. This study will determine whether PT is more effective than respite from caregiving in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression and improving health function and overall quality of life in American Indian caregivers.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either eight weekly sessions of PT or 3 hours of weekly respite from caregiving for 8 weeks. At the beginning of the study and at Weeks 4 and 8, participants will complete questionnaires and self-report scales on stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. In addition, heart rate variability and levels of cortisol will be measured at study entry and Weeks 4 and 8.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 50
• Est. completion date: April 2007
• Est. primary completion date: April 2007
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 35 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Caregiver of a family member with dementia for at least 4 hours a day

• American Indian

Exclusion Criteria:

• Nerve disorders caused by diabetes

• Use of beta blockers

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Stress

Intervention

Procedure:
• Polarity therapy

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Center for World Indigenous Studies	Olympia	Washington

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Perceived stress

External Links

•   Click here for more information about The Center for Traditional Medicine.
•   Click here for more information on The Center for World Indigenous Studies.