Assessing the Efficacy of Specialized Yoga as a Cost-Effective Intervention for Enhancing Quality of Life in Spinal Cord Injury Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Abstract
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of specialized yoga as an intervention for cost-effectively improving quality of life and mental health in patients suffering from spinal cord injury. Randomly, 60 subjects with chronic spinal cord injury, aged between 18 to 65 years, were put into two groups: a specialized yoga-based intervention group and a standard rehabilitation care group. The intervention included a 6-week specialized yoga program with twice-weekly sessions, which consisted of physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation, performed in a manner that is modified to suit the physical limitations of the patients suffering from SCI.
Primary outcomes were assessed through the SF-36 Health Survey, which indicated that the quality of life measurement for the yoga group showed an overall improvement of 20% compared to 10% for the control group, p < 0.01. Secondary outcomes included a 30% decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms by the Beck Depression Inventory and Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, versus smaller decreases in the control group, p < 0.01. Cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrated a lower cost per QALY for the yoga group.
The findings suggest that specialized yoga is an effective, relatively low-cost intervention for significantly improving mental health and quality of life in SCI patients. The study provides a rationale for integrating specialized yoga into rehabilitation practices, with implications particularly in resource-constrained settings.
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References
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