ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Mahmoudian   SA. (* )
Kheirabadi   GhR. (1 )
Meracy   MR. (2 )






(* ) Social Medicine Department, Medicine Faculty, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
(1 ) Psychology Department, Medicine Faculty, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
(2 ) Statistics & Epidemiology Department, Hygine Faculty, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Social Medicine Department, Dentistry Faculty, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezar Jarib Street, Isfahan, Iran
Phone: +98 3137922510
Fax: +98 3137922542
a_mahmoudian@med.mui.ac.ir

Article History

Received:   June  17, 2014
Accepted:   October 25, 2014
ePublished:   February 19, 2015

ABSTRACT

Aims Many psychiatrists in treating patients with chronic depression, in addition to conventional and psychological treatment turned to the use complementary therapies such as homeopathy. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of adding homeopathy to common depression treatments on depression severity and quality of life of depressed veterans.
Materials & Methods This randomized double-blind clinical trial was done on 65 depressed with symptoms similar to Natrium muriaticum hospitalized in Shahid Rajai Hospital of Isfahan in 2012-13. patients randomly assigned into two groups of homeopathy (n=35) and control (n=30) groups. homeopathy group in addition to conventional therapy received homeopathic medicine and placebo administrated for control group. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory and Quality of Life Questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software with Mann-Whitney and covariance tests.
Findings Mean depression scores (p=0.577) and quality of life (p=0.524) was not significantly different after intervention (by controlling the severity of depression and quality of life before the intervention) was not different between two groups, but there was a significant difference between two groups in physical and mental domains of quality of life (p<0.05).
Conclusion 6 months homeopathic treatment of chronic depressed veterans depression was not is not effective, but it is effective on their mental and physical aspects of quality of life.

Keywords: Depression, Homeopathy, Quality of Life, Complementary Therapies,

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