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Background <p>Depression, a debilitating mental disorder, has become the leading cause of disability worldwide. A growing body of evidence supports the feasibility and effectiveness of multicomponent lifestyle medicine programs for the treatment of depression, including the recent novel multicomponent Traditional Chinese Medicine Lifestyle Medicine (TCMLM) program (Registered at ClinicalTrials.Gov with registration number: NCT05799586). However, little is known about participants’ experiences and perceptions of the program and the aspects that require improvement. This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of participants attending the multicomponent TCMLM program and practicing the related lifestyle behaviors.</p> Methods <p>In this descriptive qualitative study, purposeful sampling was used to recruit Hong Kong Chinese adults who had participated in the multicomponent TCMLM program between August 2023 and January 2024. Face-to-face focus-group interviews and semi-structured interviews were conducted with audio recording, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using conventional content analysis. All interviews were performed in classrooms in a university in Hong Kong.</p> Results <p>A total of 31 multicomponent TCMLM program attendees aged 20 to 65 years participated in the qualitative interviews. The content analysis identified three themes and 12 subthemes, namely, Theme 1: multicomponent TCMLM program originally being comprehensive and special (e.g., TCMLM program content originally being not unitary, increasing the number of methods for dealing with depressive symptoms); Theme 2: multicomponent TCMLM program being far more beneficial than expected (e.g., promoting diet, exercises, daily routine and sleep management based on TCMLM, improving physical functional status, improving one’s personality); and Theme 3: practicing multicomponent TCMLM program having challenges (e.g., unsuitable conditions hindering some TCMLM practices in community).</p> Conclusions <p>This study provides fresh in-depth insights into the perceptions and experiences of Hong Kong Chinese adults with depression who attended the multicomponent TCMLM program and engaged in the related lifestyle behaviors. Meanwhile, the challenges encountered while attending the program and practicing the related behaviors offer valuable information for further optimization of the program and expanding its application in Hong Kong or other regions.</p>

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Perceptions and experiences of a multicomponent traditional Chinese medicine lifestyle medicine program for depression: a qualitative study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月15日

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  • Jia Yin Ruan,
  • Xi Chen,
  • Hui Lin Cheng,
  • Wan Yi Qing,
  • Janice Yuen Shan Ho,
  • Hai Yong Chen,
  • Dan Luo,
  • Lu Hu,
  • Jun Ya Chen,
  • Lin Ye Wu,
  • Kin Yeung Chak,
  • Chao Lu,
  • Yim Wah Mak,
  • Wing Fai Yeung

摘要

Background

Depression, a debilitating mental disorder, has become the leading cause of disability worldwide. A growing body of evidence supports the feasibility and effectiveness of multicomponent lifestyle medicine programs for the treatment of depression, including the recent novel multicomponent Traditional Chinese Medicine Lifestyle Medicine (TCMLM) program (Registered at ClinicalTrials.Gov with registration number: NCT05799586). However, little is known about participants’ experiences and perceptions of the program and the aspects that require improvement. This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of participants attending the multicomponent TCMLM program and practicing the related lifestyle behaviors.

Methods

In this descriptive qualitative study, purposeful sampling was used to recruit Hong Kong Chinese adults who had participated in the multicomponent TCMLM program between August 2023 and January 2024. Face-to-face focus-group interviews and semi-structured interviews were conducted with audio recording, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using conventional content analysis. All interviews were performed in classrooms in a university in Hong Kong.

Results

A total of 31 multicomponent TCMLM program attendees aged 20 to 65 years participated in the qualitative interviews. The content analysis identified three themes and 12 subthemes, namely, Theme 1: multicomponent TCMLM program originally being comprehensive and special (e.g., TCMLM program content originally being not unitary, increasing the number of methods for dealing with depressive symptoms); Theme 2: multicomponent TCMLM program being far more beneficial than expected (e.g., promoting diet, exercises, daily routine and sleep management based on TCMLM, improving physical functional status, improving one’s personality); and Theme 3: practicing multicomponent TCMLM program having challenges (e.g., unsuitable conditions hindering some TCMLM practices in community).

Conclusions

This study provides fresh in-depth insights into the perceptions and experiences of Hong Kong Chinese adults with depression who attended the multicomponent TCMLM program and engaged in the related lifestyle behaviors. Meanwhile, the challenges encountered while attending the program and practicing the related behaviors offer valuable information for further optimization of the program and expanding its application in Hong Kong or other regions.