Study of the effect of Hatha Yoga exercises on stress, anxiety and depression among hemodialysis patients

Hemodialysis patients undergo high levels of psychological stress, anxiety and depression. Therefore, the present study has been conducted to determine the effect of Hatha yoga exercises on stress, anxiety and depression among these patients. The present research is a two-group semi-experimental controlled trial done in 2010, in which 31 hemodialysis patients were selected from Shahid Labbafinejad hospital as the control, and 31 condition-matched patients from Baqiyatallah hospital as the case group, and Hatha Yoga exercise was performed for the experimental group for an hour twice a week during two months, after primary training by the yoga instructor. Data-collecting instruments included demographic information forms and a specific questionnaire on stress, anxiety and depression, which were evaluated before and two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS16 statistical software using descriptive statistics, T-test, Chi-square, Fisher test and paired t-test. Analysis between the mean stress, anxiety and depression values of the study participants showed significant difference before and after the intervention in the case group (p<0.001). While this difference was not significant in the control group. Performing the low-cost, simple, and enlivening Hatha yoga exercise is accompanied by improving living conditions of hemodialysis patients, and a positive step can be taken toward improvement and prevention of the patient's psychological problems as well as other chronic disorders through applying these practices.