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

Quality of Life Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effect of Sunlight Exposure and Outdoor Activities on Improving the Depression, Cognition and Quality of Life of the Institutionalized Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03304301
• Other study ID #: 104114
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: October 2, 2017
• Last updated: October 8, 2017
• Start date: June 30, 2016
• Est. completion date: April 12, 2018

Study information

• Verified date: October 2017
• Source: Chiayi Christian Hospital
• Contact: TZU-CHIA LIN, Master
• Phone: +886-5-2765041
• Email: 11518[@]cych.org.tw
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 74
• Est. completion date: April 12, 2018
• Est. primary completion date: January 12, 2018
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 65 Years and older

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aging
• Cognition Disorders
• Cognitive Impairment
• Depression
• Depression in Old Age
• Depressive Disorder
• Nursing Homes
• Quality of Life

Intervention

Behavioral:
• sunlight exposure
Participants will be encouraged to reduce time spent on bed and bedroom. We will also take participants outdoors and receiving sunlight exposure (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

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Taiwan	BaoKang Long-Term Care Center	Chia-Yi

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Chiayi Christian Hospital	National Cheng Kung University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Taiwan, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Change from baseline quality of life at 3 months	measured with EQ-5D	baseline, three month after recruitment
Primary	Change from baseline depression at 3 months	measured with GDS-15	baseline, three month after recruitment
Secondary	Change from baseline cognitive function at 3 months	measured with SPMSQ	baseline, three month after recruitment