Can writing reduce stress and improve health in older people?

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: psychological stress; dermal wound healing; Mental Health - Studies of normal psychology, cognitive function and behaviour; Skin - Normal skin development and function; Inflammatory and Immune System - Normal development and function of the immune system

• Registration Number: ACTRN12611000687998
• Lead Sponsor: The University of Auckland

Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2011-07-07
• Last Update Posted: 13 January 2020

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 70

Inclusion Criteria

healthy older adults (>65 years) living in 'independent living' accommodations at retirement villages in Auckland area

Exclusion Criteria

(1) unable to hand-write or type (e.g. on a computer or typewriter) in English
(2) Cognitive impairments that prevent making informed consent
(3) currently have clinical depression
(4) skin complaints (e.g. eczema, psoriasis, keloid scarring)
(5) smoker
(6) allergic to lignocaine

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
(1) The time needed for a 4mm skin biopsy punch wound (inner, upper arm) to heal between individuals in the Expressive Writing group and individuals in the Time Management group (active control)<br><br>We define 'healed' as full re-epithelialization of the wound, as determined by the study dermatologist, based on bi-weekly wound photographs.[Wounds photographed at Days 0, 7, 10/11, 14, 17/18, 21, 24/25, 28, etc. until 'healed'.]