An evaluation of the `health enhancement lifestyle program' at Cedar Court Rehabilitation Hospital

This interim evaluation reports on the effect of participation in a complementary health intervention program, the Health Enhancement Lifestyle Program (HELP) conducted at Cedar Court Hospital, Melbourne. The HELP program comprises group processes, yoga, diet, exercise and other physical and existential activities and is supported by the hospital's administration; including its support for staff to attend, advertising of HELP as part of the hospital's marketing activities and the creation of the Department of Complementary Therapies. The evaluation employed a one-group pretest-posttest design using program participants. There was no control group. Of the 80 participants enrolled in HELP, 44 completed both pre- and post-HELP questionnaires. The post-HELP questionnaires were administered three months after HELP. Examination of demographic and pre-HELP questionnaire data showed the follow-up group were not dissimilar to other HELP participants. The health outcome improvements suggested HELP had small to moderate, but significant, therapeutic impacts lasting for at least 3 months post-participation in the areas of general health and illness, vitality, anxiety, hostility, guilt, psychological well-being and health-related quality of life. The data were also suggestive of improvements in social relationships, mental health and overall physical health, although these just failed to reach statistical significance. There appeared to be no impact on participants' physical health status or positive affect. These results are, however, subject to the caveat that participants were well educated, employed in high status professions and were fee-paying. Given these characteristics of participants in this evaluation, it is not known whether the findings can be extrapolated to the general population or whether the impacts noted in this report lead to long-term health improvements. Subject to this caveat, sufficient evidence was found to conclude that the HELP program appeared to be of benefit to participants at three-month follow-up; as shown by significant improvements in the general health, level of illness, vitality and psychological well-being; and significant reductions in negative affect, hostility, guilt and anxiety.