걷기명상이 요양병원에 입원한 암환자의 우울과 삶의 질에 미치는 효과

The Effects of Walking Meditation on Depression and Quality of Life among Cancer Patients in a Long-Term Care Hospital

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of walking meditation on cancer patients suffering from depression and their quality of life (QoL) in a long-term care hospital. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group and a pretest-posttest design. Forty-nine cancer patients living in a long-term care hospital participated in the study. The experimental group (n=24) received the 2-week walking meditation program while the control group (n=25) received no such treatment. They all answered questionnaires on depression and QoL. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS PC+ 26.0 through paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and ANCOVA. Results: There were significant differences in depression (paired t= −3.944, p =.001) and QoL (paired t=2.443, p =.023) in the experimental group on pretest-posttest. Also, there were significant differences in both depression (F=8.302, p =.001) and QoL (t=2.360, p =.024) between the two groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that the walking meditation program has positive effects on the depression suffered by cancer patients as well as on their QoL in a long-term care hospital. Thus, this program can be utilized as an effective nursing intervention for cancer patients in long-term care hospitals.