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

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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Quality of Life; Cognitive Impairment; Aging; Depression in Old Age; Nursing Homes
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: sunlight exposure

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 74
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Chia-Yi, Taiwan
    • Recruiting
    • BaoKang Long-Term Care Center
    • Contact: TZU-CHIA LIN, Master

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 65 years and older (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

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

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: experimental group; Participants will be encouraged to reduce time spent on bed and bedroom. We will also take participants outdoors and expose to sunlight (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.	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
No Intervention: control group; Participants will receive routine care.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline depression at 3 months	measured with GDS-15	baseline, three month after recruitment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline cognitive function at 3 months	measured with SPMSQ	baseline, three month after recruitment

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline quality of life at 3 months	measured with EQ-5D	baseline, three month after recruitment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chiayi Christian Hospital
• Collaborators: National Cheng Kung University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: LIN TZUCHIA, MASTER, Chiayi christian hospital, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 30, 2016
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): January 12, 2018
• Study Completion (Anticipated): April 12, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 5, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): October 9, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 10, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 8, 2017
• Last Verified: October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: quality of life; depression; cognition function; sunlight exposure; institutionalized elderly
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: 104114

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No