Pilot Study
Zung Depression Questionnare
Depression is a feeling that is experienced when the energy level of a person is very low. A person might feel a sense of hopelessness and sadness. When one has depressing feelings, it becomes difficult to interact with others. Symptoms such as crying a lot and withdrawing from the circle of acquaintances may occur. People who suffer from depression feel unmotivated to do anything and have a lack of physical energy. They tend to sleep a lot and might suffer from eating disorders. Depression can also be caused by feelings of loss, invasive surgery, chemotherapy, drugs, anaesthesia and imbalances in the body’s chemistry.
HOST in the form of aromatherapy and massage can assist on a psychological level through the benefits of therapeutic touch. It is recorded to be nurturing, healing and creates a sense of well-being (Segall & Davids, 2001:225,226,228).
According to figures released by Afrox (2007:3), in South Africa 13.4 million working days are lost annually due to stress, anxiety and depression. "One type of stress reaction, depression, is predicted to be the leading occupational disease of the 21st century, responsible for more days lost in productive work than any other single factor" (Creative Stress Management, 2005).
| 2006 Stress Statistics | ||
| Affected in percentage | Affected in employees | |
| Total number of employees | 100% | 1000 |
| Illness caused or made worse by stress | 23% | 230 |
| Moderately stressed employees | Between 40% and 45% | 425 |
| Severely stressed employees | Between 15% and 20% | 175 |
| Table 11: Stress and the workforce | ||
This table indicates that a staggering 600 employees per 1000 are manifesting symptoms of stress and 230 out of a 1000 employees suffer from illness caused by exposure to stress. For any employer this indicates a loss in revenue because stress impacts on productivity, sick leave, and indirectly on turnover of staff.
Zung Question "19"
Graph 47
Question: I feel that others would be better off if I were dead.
Control group: Slightly declined
Test group: Further improvement
Results rating: Significant improvement
The conclusion is that HOST has an impact on the ultimate course of depression in employees who suffer from this condition. If depression cannot all together be avoided, it certainly can be treated and managed to an extent in order to keep a person functional so that other interventional methods can be implemented. In cases of high-level depression as tested by way of an accepted scale, employees should be referred for psychiatric evaluation and intervention while therapy is continued. HOST should be seen as part of a holistic team effort to ensure the best outcome for the depressed person.
Continue reading: Emotional Stress Questionnare