Rice farmers in Thailand frequently experience high levels of occupational stress and musculoskeletal pain due to heavy workloads, repetitive movements, and economic pressures. Chronic stress is a psychological condition characterized by emotional strain, anxiety, and physiological changes such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to poor mental health outcomes including depression and decreased quality of life. Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorde
Conditions
Interventions
Participants in the experimental group will receive an eight week yoga program to reduce stress and low back pain. Each session lasts about 30 minutes and is practiced five days per week for eight wee
Experimental Behavioral,No Intervention No treatment
Yoga program (experimental group),Standard care (control group)
Sponsors
Thitima Polboobpha
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Male or female rice farmers aged between 18 and 60 years. 2. Engaged in rice farming as the primary occupation and residing in Amnatcharoen Province for at least one year. 3. Having a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) score of 21 or higher, which indicates at least a moderate level of stress. 4. Able to read and write in Thai language.Willing to participate voluntarily and provide informed consent after receiving full information about the study.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Having medical conditions that contraindicate yoga practice, such as herniated intervertebral disc, glaucoma, severe osteoporosis, uncontrolled hypertension, pregnancy, balance disorders, history of stroke, or frequent falls. These conditions will be assessed through interviews conducted by the principal investigator, health promotion hospital staff, and village health volunteers. 2. Having practiced yoga or similar forms of exercise (e.g., Tai Chi, Qigong) regularly for at least six months prior to enrollment. 3. Failing to pass the basic yoga proficiency test administered by a certified yoga instructor. 4. Lacking appropriate equipment for video recording of yoga exercises, which is required for monitoring accuracy and safety of practice during the intervention.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Stress Baseline, Week 8, and Week 16 Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10, Thai version): a 10-item questionnaire including 4 positive and 6 negative items. Scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater stress. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Low back pain disability Baseline, Week 8, and Week 16 Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (Thai version),Pain score Baseline, Week 8, and Week 16 Visual Analog Scale (10 scale) | — |
Countries
Thailand
Contacts
Public ContactThitima Polboobpha
Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Outcome results
None listed