None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Physical activity is an important component of treatment for people living with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and is known to reduce symptoms of mental illness. There is a growing interest in the use of telehealth to improve access to health services. However, to our knowledge, there has not been research to date examining the use of telehealth by exercise physiologists to deliver physical activity interventions to adults with MDD. We therefore aim to determine the acceptability and feasibility of a 5-week exercise physiology intervention, involving weekly sessions delivered via videoconference to adults living with MDD. We hypothesise that this intervention will be feasible and acceptable to adults with depression. In addition, we hypothesise that this 5-week physical activity intervention delivered via telehealth will be associated with improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep quality and increased activity levels at post-intervention.
Interventions
Participants will be provided with five weekly exercise physiology sessions delivered via telehealth. Telehealth calls will occur via the Microsoft office platform ‘Teams’ which has both audio and video functions. Sessions will be delivered by an accredited exercise physiologist and last between 30-40 mins. Five sessions will be delivered and occur once per week. The intervention will include evidence-based components of education, goal setting and self-monitoring. Exercise prescription will be
Participants will be provided with five weekly exercise physiology sessions delivered via telehealth. Telehealth calls will occur via the Microsoft office platform ‘Teams’ which has both audio and video functions. Sessions will be delivered by an accredited exercise physiologist and last between 30-40 mins. Five sessions will be delivered and occur once per week. The intervention will include evidence-based components of education, goal setting and self-monitoring. Exercise prescription will be individualised but aim to include a combination of aerobic (e.g. jogging on the spot, star jumps) and resistance exercise (e.g. push ups, squats). The exercise physiologist will demonstrate and instruct a range of exercises (e.g. sitting to stand from a chair or push ups) and have the participant do them over video call. No equipment will be required but the participant can use equipment in their home if they have it. The BORG RPE scale from which ranges from 6-20 will be used to allow participants to report how easy/hard they are finding the exercise. The intensity of the sessions will be individualised and determined by the participants baseline fitness and their preference. To obtain mental health benefits, prioritising patient enjoyment is important. The exercise physiologist will also take time to discuss different motivational strategies such as ways to overcome barriers to exercise. Participants will also be encouraged to reduce sedentary time and the exercise physiologist will help come up with strategies on ways to do this (e.g. setting an alarm every hour to remind you to get up). The exercise physiologist will provide participants with existing resources where appropriate e.g. physical activity guidelines, physical activity tracking apps etc.
Sponsors
University of New South Wales
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Primary purpose
Treatment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Participants will be recruited through the Black Dog Institute website and social media. Inclusion criteria • Between 18 and 65 years • Have been diagnosed with depression by a health professional (eg, GP, psychologist or psychiatrist) • Currently experiencing symptoms of depression (indicated by a PHQ-9 score of 10 to 19) • Have a regular general practitioner (GP) • Currently inactive (defined as engaging in less than 150 mins per week of moderate-vigorous physical activity per week) • Medically cleared to participate in an exercise program (as indicated by no positive scores on the Adult Pre-Exercise Screening System assessing contraindications to exercise participation). • English speaking • Access to the Internet and a computer at home. • Live in Australia
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: • Currently experiencing severe depression (PHQ-9 score of 20 or more) or suicidal thoughts (PHQ-9 item 9 score of 1 or more) • Diagnosed psychotic illness e.g. schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder • Diagnosed bipolar disorder • Substance abuse disorder • Pregnancy
Outcome results
None listed