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Effect of Normal Temperature Water Foot Bath on Anxiety and Depression
Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

1
P. Su and M. Chung 2

Department of Nursing, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Chinese Taipei, and School of
1 2
Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Chinese Taipei

Background: Hot water foot baths are known to reduce anxiety and depression in Major Depressive
Disorder (MDD) patients. However, given safety risks including potential burns and self-harm, clinical
staff strictly regulate hot water use. In contrast, normal temperature foot baths may provide a safer,
convenient option for MDD inpatients, possibly easing anxiety and depression.

Objective: This study assesses the efficacy of normal temperature foot baths in alleviating anxiety
and depression in MDD patients.

Methods: We recruited 32 patients (mean age 25.09 ± 3.61 years, 2 female, 30 male) with MDD. Participants
underwent foot baths with water at normal temperature for 15 minutes per session, five times a week for two
Oral Presentation Abstracts
weeks, totaling ten sessions. The water level was maintained at 10 cm above the ankle joint. The Beck Anxiety
Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were employed to assess anxiety and
depression symptoms, respectively, at baseline and post-intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA
analyzed BAI and BDI-II score changes pre- and post-intervention.

Results: Results showed no significant post-intervention changes in BAI and BDI-II scores from baseline.
We also noted that the temperature variations in normal temperature water, influenced by weather, may
decrease patient comfort due to cold exposure in MDD patients. This suggests that the therapeutic effects
attributed to hot water foot baths, which may include parasympathetic nervous system excitation leading
to relaxation and comfort, were not replicated with normal temperature water, indicating no substantial
benefits in alleviating anxiety and depression symptoms in the study cohort.

Conclusion: This study concludes that foot baths using normal temperature water do not significantly
impact anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with MDD. Future research should focus on
devising safe protocols and clinical guidelines for the use of hot water foot baths by clinical stafffs,
rather than limiting their application.

Keywords: major depressive disorder, anxiety, depression, hot water foot baths

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Correspondence: Min-Huey Chung, School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University,
Chinese Taipei
E-mail: minhuey300@tmu.edu.tw

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