Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Heat, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Water Immersion
Conditions
Brief summary
In 2016, it was estimated that nearly 1 billion people worldwide were affected by a mental or addictive disorder, and were associated with considerable excess mortality. Acute heat therapy sessions (e.g. whole-body heating or foot immersions) have been shown to improve symptoms in individuals diagnosed with common mental health illness such as major depressive disorders and reduce anxiety. This study will assess the impact of an at-home 8-week lower-limb immersion in hot water on symptom severity in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD.
Interventions
PROCEDURElower-limb hot water immersion
For a minimum of 30 minutes, 3 times a week for 8 consecutive weeks, participants will submerge their lower-limbs into 30-32°C (lukewarm) or 39-40°C (hot) water which will be measured with a supplied waterproof thermometer.
Sponsors
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Lakehead University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Over 18 years of age * Diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder * Internet access (e.g. via smartphone, computer) * Currently engaging in mental health treatment
Exclusion criteria
* Free of any mental health disorder * Not engaging in regular mental health treatment * Diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic disorder)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 Item | Change from baseline at 8 weeks | Self-report measure of depression severity |
| Change in General Anxiety Disorder - 7 Item | Change from baseline at 8 weeks | Self-report measure of anxiety severity |
| Change in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - 20 Item | Change from baseline at 8 weeks | Self-report measure that assesses symptoms of PTSD |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Post-water immersion thermal sensation | throughout study completion, 8 weeks in duration | 7-point scale to assess one's thermal state, with -3 defined as Cold and 3 defined as Hot |
| Post-water immersion thermal comfort | throughout study completion, 8 weeks in duration | 6-point scale to assess one's thermal satisfaction, with 1 and 6 defined as very comfortable and very uncomfortable, respectively. |
| Post-water immersion thermal preference | throughout study completion, 8 weeks in duration | 5-point scale assessing whether the water temperature would be changed by the participant, with 2 defining 'much cooler' and -2 defining 'much warmer' |
Countries
Canada
Contacts
Primary ContactNicholas Ravanelli, PhD
Outcome results
None listed