Effectiveness of Structured Yoga Therapy on Depression and Anxiety Among Nursing Officers in Government Hospitals: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Nursing officers face elevated risk of mild depression and mild anxiety due to occupational stressors including heavy workloads, prolonged duty hours, and emotionally demanding situations. Yoga represents a low-cost, non-pharmacologic intervention with established evidence for improving mood and reducing anxiety symptoms.

Objectives: This study aimed to (1) assess baseline levels of depression and anxiety among nursing officers attending training at the District Training Centre (DTC) Raichur; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of a structured yoga therapy program on mild depression and mild anxiety; (3) explore associations between selected demographic variables and mental health outcomes; and (4) examine the correlation between depression and anxiety levels.

Methods: This quasi-experimental, control-group, pretest–posttest design enrolled 300 nursing officers (experimental group n=150; control group n=150). The experimental group received a structured 4-week yoga therapy module comprising supervised training (4 consecutive days) followed by home-based practice (3 sessions/week, 30 minutes/session, total 12 sessions). The control group practiced 15-minute Shavasana (relaxation pose) on the same schedule. Depression and anxiety were measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D, 17 items) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A, 14 items) at baseline and 4 weeks post-intervention. Statistical analysis included paired and unpaired t-tests, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation with significance set at p<0.05.Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences.

Results: Mean depression scores in the experimental group decreased significantly from 6.99 (SD 4.47) to 4.86 (SD 3.68) following intervention (paired t=9.34, p<0.001), compared with the control group reduction from 6.78 to 5.94 (paired t=6.48, p<0.001). Between-group posttest comparison favored the yoga therapy group (t=2.49, p=0.016). Mean anxiety scores in the experimental group decreased from 16.61 (SD 6.61) to 11.73 (SD 6.17) (paired t=3.36, p=0.001), while the control group decreased modestly from 14.69 to 13.95 (paired t=5.45, p<0.001). Between-group posttest anxiety difference was statistically significant (t=2.14, p=0.006). Socioeconomic analysis revealed that monthly income was significantly associated with pretest depression levels (χ² p<0.001). A small but statistically

significant positive correlation between depression and anxiety was observed in both groups (r≈0.07–0.085, p<0.05). Study attrition was minimal at 4% (12 participants: 7 experimental, 5 control).

Conclusion: A structured short-term yoga therapy program produced statistically and clinically meaningful reductions in mild depression and mild anxiety among nursing officers compared with relaxation-only control. Yoga therapy can be recommended as an accessible, cost-effective adjunctive intervention for mental health promotion and psychological well-being among healthcare workers...