Acceptability and feasibility of public square dancing for community senior citizens with mild cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms: A pilot study.
Xiuyu Yao, Yu Zhao, Min Yin and 1 others
PMID 34631990WHAT IT FOUND
Community older adults with mild cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms found public square dancing acceptable and easy to learn.
They reported better well-being over follow-up, but also more fatigue; cognition and depression were not measured.
Key findings
01Most participants completed the programme: 35 started, 32 finished the three-month intervention, and 31 finished the three-month follow-up.
02From the end of the programme to three-month follow-up, psychological well-being increased (11.03 ± 2.82 to 14.87 ± 3.93), distress did not change, and fatigue increased (11.00 [8.00, 12.00] to 14.00 [9.00, 18.00]).
03Of 15 interviewees, 11 said the dance was easier to master than other forms, 13 said it was life-like, and 10 said group dancing increased sense of belonging.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a pilot with no control group, so any change could be due to time, attention, or expectations rather than dancing. Only one community in Beijing was studied, so results may not apply elsewhere. The reported results did not include a scale-based outcome for cognition or depression. The main questionnaire was self-reported and the reported comparison was between the end of the programme and three-month follow-up. Fatigue scores increased, and follow-up occurred during winter with weather barriers. The programme combined dance, music, group instruction, individual advice, a peer leader, reminders, heart-rate monitoring, clothing advice, and snacks for hypoglycemia, so the contribution of any single part cannot be separated.
Declared interests
Funded by Peking Union Medical College. The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude square dancing alone improves cognition or depression. This pilot had no control group, did not report scale-based outcomes for cognition or depression, and the programme also included music, group instruction, individual advice, a leader, reminders, heart-rate monitoring, clothing advice, and snacks.