Background & Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated significant psychological challenges, including stress, anxiety, and depression, among COVID-19 survivors, their caregivers, and the general public. The primary objective of this study is to examine whether an Integrated Mindfulness-based Health Qigong (iMBHQ) program can improve the physical and psychological wellness of these three distinct populations within the community.
Study Design & Participants This study employs a 3 × 2 factorial parallel-group randomized controlled trial design. The trial aims to recruit a total of 600 participants (200 COVID-19 survivors, 200 caregivers, and 200 individuals from the general public). Participants will be randomized into either the treatment group (receiving the 16-week iMBHQ program) or the control group (receiving treatment-as-usual).
Intervention Procedures Delivered via a tailor-made mobile application, the iMBHQ program combines Health Qigong (Baduanjin) and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) to target both physical health and psychological distress. During Weeks 1-8, participants complete mindfulness-based sessions lasting 2 hours per week. During Weeks 9-16, they transition to practicing Qigong for 30 minutes per day, five days a week. To evaluate efficacy, outcome data will be collected at baseline, 8 weeks (inter-intervention), 16 weeks (post-intervention), 6 months, and 12 months post-intervention.
Outcome Measures & Analysis Primary and secondary outcome measures include the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Rumination Reflection Questionnaire (RRQ), Hyperarousal Scale, and specific scales measuring COVID-19-related fear, stigma, and attitudes toward vaccination. Data will be analyzed using the Intention-to-Treat (ITT) principle, and linear mixed models will be utilized to examine treatment × group interactions.
