Effect

運動對停經後婦女焦慮與憂鬱的影響 吳貴琍 國立聯合技術學院 摘要 更年期婦女在心理方面易出現焦慮、憂鬱等異常症狀，受到學者專家的重視。報 導指出，運動能降低緊張情緒，對焦慮與憂鬱有一定的作用。本研究即在通過對 長期從事規律運動的停經後婦女（實驗組）進行心理測驗，並以同齡不運動正常 婦女為對照（對照組） ，期能瞭解運動對更年期後婦女心理狀態的影響。焦慮與 憂鬱的評量採用“曾氏心理健康量表”。各指標的組間差異以獨立樣本 t-test 檢 驗。結果發現：實驗組的焦慮與憂鬱，皆明顯較對照組為低（P<0.05） 。這表示： 長期規律的運動可以調整與改善更年期婦女心理方面的焦慮與憂鬱等異常症狀。 關鍵詞：運動、停經後、婦女、焦慮、憂鬱 Effects of Regular Exercise on Anxiety and Depression in Post-menopausal Women Wu,Guey-Li National Lien-Ho Institute of Technology ABSTRACT The psychological problems such as anxiety and depression that menopausal women easily have are highly concerned by the researchers. Studies showed that regular exercise reduced nervousness and lowered the degree of anxiety and depression. To understand the effects of regular exercise on the mental state of post-menopausal women, this study recruited women with regular exercise as exercise group and healthy age-matched women without exercise as control group, and evaluated them with Zung’s Self-administered Anxiety Scale (S.A.S) and Zung’s Self-administered Depression Scale (S.D.S.). An independent t-test was used to compare differences between exercise groups and control groups. The results showed that anxiety and depression of exercise group were significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.05). This meant regular exercise could reduce anxiety and depression in menopausal women. Key words: exercise, post-menopausal, women, anxiety, depression, comparative study INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Due to the degeneration of mechanism, ovary and sex hormone, healthy women before and after the menopause are easily to have some physical and psychological problems, generally called Climacteric Syndrome. The psychological symptoms, mostly emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression and nervousness, are called Involutional Melancholia. Women were two to three times more likely to have these symptoms than men (Chu, 1991). Without receiving proper treatment, women will have sleeping and eating problems which cause serious diseases influencing individuals and society in the long run. These complicated disturbing problems related to geriatric topics are closely watched by the researchers. To treat these problems, many countries nowadays are used to using Hormone Replacement Therapy, Psychotherapy or giving sedative, or anti-depressive for Chemotherapy. Recent studies found out that regular exercise had influenced the individual psychological state positively. The studies of Morgan(1985) and Petruzzello(1991) indicated that regular exercise reduced nervousness especially those light and moderate anxiety and depression. The results gave hope of solving these emotional obstacles for menopausal women. Purpose of the Study For the problems mentioned above, this study used scientific methods to investigate the solutions. The purposes aimed at studying the effect of regular exercise on anxiety and depression in post-menopausal women by giving psychological evaluation on post-menopausal women with regular exercise (exercise group) and age-matched healthy women without exercise and comparing their results. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Subjects This study randomly recruited forty-two healthy post-menopausal women. Twenty-two of them had regular exercise with the mean age of 53.746.46 years, the mean height of 156.614.28 cm, the mean weight of 58.148.64 kg, the mean exercise duration of 8.864.76 years, and the mean year since menopause(YSM)of 5.324.04 years. Twenty of them had no regular exercise with the mean age of 53.874.55 years, the mean height of 159.004.55 cm, the mean weight of 58.654.63 kg, and the mean YSM of 4.253.11 years (Table 1). The independent t-test showed that there were no significant differences of baseline data between groups (P>0.05). Table 1. Baseline data for subjects Variable Group Exercise (n=22) Control (n=20) 53.87±4.55 159.00±4.55 58.65±4.63 _ 4.25±3.11 Age (year) 53.74±6.46 Height (cm) 156.61±4.28 Weight (kg) 58.14±8.64 Regular Exercise (year) 8.86±4.76 YSM (year) 5.32±4.04 Measurements Subjects in this study were all evaluated with Zung’s Self-administered Anxiety Scale (S.A.S) and Zung’s Self-administered Depression Scale (S.D.S) invented by American psychologist W.W.K.Zung, which were highly reliable, effective and feasible (Yu, 1995). Statistical Analysis (1) SPSS statistical package were used to analyze the data. Values are expressed as the XS.D.. (2) Differences between the groups were evaluated by independent sample t-test. (3) An alpha level of 0.05 was used to test for significance. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Results Table 2. Differences of Anxiety and Depression between two Groups. Anxiety Depression Variable Group Exercise 30.86±5.66 30.36±8.12 Control 39.45±5.57 40.00±5.94 4.95 4.35 t-value 0.000 0.000 P ** ** Significance * P<0.05，** P<0.01 The differences of anxiety and depression between groups in post-menopausal women were shown in Table 2. In the item of anxiety, the mean value was 30.865.66 in exercise group while 39.455.57 in control group with significant differences (t=4.95, P<0.01). In the item of depression, the mean value was 30.368.12 in exercise group while 40.005.94 in control group with significant differences (t=4.35, P<0.01). The results showed that the degree of anxiety and depression in exercise group was significantly lower than that of control group in post-menopausal women. Discussions The degeneration of mechanism, ovary and sex hormone not only causes the body change physically but also psychologically. To improve the psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, specialists are using Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) at present. However, there are still some uncertain side effects on the body by using hormones, which needs to be explored further (Lee et al, 1997). Exercise is considered to have close relation with improving individual’s psychological state. In foreign countries, this natural, effective and side effect free way is regarded a good way of maintaining and enhancing good psychological state. It is obtaining more attention in Taiwan now. Morgan (1985) pointed out that exercise eased nervousness especially light and moderate anxiety and depression and was suitable for female and male patients at different ages. To prove Morgan’s point and look for a natural and effective way of adjusting psychological state for menopausal women, this study recruited post-menopausal women with regular exercise and gave them a series of anxiety and depression evaluation and compared the results with the healthy age-matched post-menopausal women without exercise. The results showed the degree of anxiety and depression of exercise group was significantly lower than that of control group in post-menopausal women (see Figure ). The results proved Morgan’s and were the same as the reports of North et al(1988) and Martinsen (1990). Diffe re nce s of Anxie ty and De pre ssion Be twe e n Expe rime ntal Group and Control Group EXPERIMENTAL 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 ANXIETY DEPRESSION CO NTRO L Peng et al (1999) mentioned there are still many hypotheses about mechanism that exercise can improve psychological state. Of which“Endorphin Hypothesis” is the most popular and generally confirmed one. The hypothesis indicated that exercise promotes the let out of endorphin, morphine-like material, which can depress the conduct of pain and relieve pain. By the function of relieving pain and gaining pleasant sense, endorphin improves the psychological state finally. As this study aimed at investigating the change of individual psychological state such as anxiety and depression, without testing the endorphin contain in the blood of subjects, we could not prove whether the hypothesis is correct or not? So further studies are needed in this aspect. CONCLUSION This study found out that the degree of anxiety and depression of exercise group in post-menopausal women was significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.01). This showed that regular exercise could treat psychological problems of anxiety and depression in post-menopausal women. As for what mechanism does that, the previous reports are still unclear. It needs further and multiple investigation. REFERENCES Martinsen, E.W.(1990).Benefits of exercise for the treatment of depression. Sports Medicine, 9(6):380-389. Morgan W.P (1985). Affective beneficence of vigorous physical activity. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 17(1):94-100 Petruzzello et al (1991). A meta-analysis on the anxiety-reducing effects of acute and chronic exercise outcomes and mechanisms. Sports Medicine, 11(3):143-182. Peng et al (1999). The effects of aerobics and anaerobics on the reduction of anxiety and depression. International AIESEP Congress (Besancon-France). Qian et al (1999). Journal of Environment and Health, September, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 311-313.