The Effects of Regular Mountain Hiking on Hopelessness in Chronically Suicidal Patients

Phase 4

Completed

• Conditions: Suicide; Hopelessness
• Interventions: Other: Mountain hiking in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps

• Registration Number: NCT01152086
• Lead Sponsor: Paracelsus Medical University

Brief Summary

Suicide is a major public health issue with estimated 1 million deaths worldwide within the last year. Physical activity and nature recreation might be protective factors against suicidal behaviour, suicidal ideation and contributing factors like depression and hopelessness.

In this randomized controlled cross-over intervention study the investigators aim to investigate the physical and psychological effects of a 9 weeks hiking program in chronically suicidal patients. The investigators aim to enroll 24 patients suffering from chronic suicidality, defined as at least one attempted suicide and a hopelessness greater than 26 in Beck's Hopelessness Scale summary score. At baseline patients will undergo pre-tests including questionnaires to assess suicide ideation, hopelessness, depression, anxiety, quality of life and health-related physical activity, physiological investigations to assess exercise capacity and blood investigations. Randomly assigned 12 patients start with the 9 weeks supervised mountain hiking program followed by a 9-week-period without supervised exercise program. The other 12 patients start with 9 weeks without supervised exercise program followed by a 9-week-period of supervised mountain hiking program. The mountain hiking program includes 2 training sessions per week with a duration of 3 hours per session. The hiking intervention will be performed within 70-85% of heart rate reserve and gymnastics for body and nature perception, mobilisation and stretching will enrich the training program. Further investigations including questionnaire-assessments, assessment of exercise capacity and blood investigations will be scheduled 9 and 18 weeks after the study start. In addition a daily assessment of several suicide risk-factors based on a web-based questionnaire will be done over the full study period. Within this mountain hiking program the investigators hope to reduce hopelessness in chronically suicidal patients.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2010-06-28
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-06-28
• Study First Posted: 2010-06-29
• Study Start: 2010-07
• Primary Completion: 2010-12
• Study Completion: 2010-12
• Status Verified: 2011-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2011-09-22
• Last Update Posted: 2011-09-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 24

Inclusion Criteria

Chronically suicidal defined as:

• at least one attempted suicide
• BHS summary scale > 26

Exclusion Criteria

• Coronary heart disease defined by angina pectoris or relevant ST-changes during exercise or myocardial infarction in the last 6 months
• not oriented in time and space
• demented
• acute psychotic
• cognitively impaired
• insufficient german language skills

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Hiking first	Mountain hiking in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps	This group first starts with mountain hiking over 9 weeks followed by a 9 weeks control period.
Control first	Mountain hiking in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps	This group first starts with the control period (9 weeks) followed by the 9 weeks mountain hiking intervention.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hopelessness	18 weeks (3 time points)	Summary score BHS (Beck Hopelessness Scale; 20 items)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Exercise capacity	18 weeks (3 time points)	(Watts/kg)
Depression	18 weeks (3 time points)	BDI-2 summary score (Beck depression inventory 2, 21 items)
Anxiety	18 weeks (3 time points)	Summary score BAI (Beck anxiety inventory, 21 items)
Suicide ideation	18 weeks (3 time points)	Summary score BSI (Beck suicide ideation inventory, 21 items)
Quality of life	18 weeks (3 time points)	PLC (Profil der Lebensqualität Chronisch Kranker, 6 subscales: Leistungsvermögen, Genuß- und Entspannungsfähigkeit, Positive Stimmung, Negative Stimmung, Kontaktvermögen, Zugehörigkeitsgefühl)
Blood parameters of inflammation	18 weeks (3 time points)	Interleukin 1 beta, Interleukin 2, Interleukin 6, Interferon gamma, Interleukin 10, Interleukin 17;
suicide risk factors	18 weeks (daily)	Several items: * Grundwert aus dem Test zur existentiellen Motivation (Eckhard, 2000, 2 items); * Burdensomeness and Connectedness (Interpersonal needs questionnaire, Joiner 2005, 3 items); * Chronic Suicidality (Paris, 2007, 2 items); * Suicidal Status Form (SSF, Jobes, 2006, 9 items); * Emotionalität und Problembelastung (SNS-subscala, Schiepek, 9 items); * Alcohol consumption (1 item); * Sleep quality (1 item); * Social support (F-SozU-S54, 4 items); * Physical activity (IPAQ-short, 2 items); * Environmental perception (3 items); * Religiousness and spirituality (2 items)
health-related physical activity	18 weeks (3 time points)	IPAQ short version (International physical activity questionnaire, 2002)