Effects of horticultural therapy on rehabilitation of hospitalized patients with depression

Objective To explore the effect of horticultural therapy on the rehabilitation of patients with depression in hospital. Methods A total of 80 cases with depression who met the inclusion criteria were selected from the Third People′s Hospital of Huzhou City from January 2017 to December 2017. We used random-number methods to classify patients into either the intervention group or the control group with 40 cases in each group. While the two groups both received conventional antidepressant drugs, and psychiatric care routine and conventional rehabilitation training. Patients in the intervention group also attended horticultural therapy, the treatment period lasted for 4 weeks. The two groups were measured by HAMD and IPROS to compare the clinical symptoms and rehabilitation effects, the before of the 4th week and the end of the 4th week after treatment. Results There was no statistically significant difference in HAMD score before the intervention among two groups (P >0.05). The HAMD score in the two group were both lower at the end of the 4th week. However, there was statistically significant difference in HAMD score among the two groups (t=5.458, P 0.05). After 4 weeks, there was statistically significant difference in IPROS score of intervention group and control group (t=4.168, P <0.01), the intervention group was 23.92±3.63, which was significantly lower than that of control group 34.85±4.17. Conclusions Horticultural therapy can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients with depression, promote rehabilitation, and improve social functions. Key words: Horticultural therapy; Depression; Rehabilitation