Methods The participants were randomly assigned to nurses who were not working shifts aged between 20 and 60 years old. The data were collected from June to August 2018, and the dependent variables of stress, anxiety, depression, heart rate variability, cortisol, and serotonin were measured before and 5 weeks after the experiment. There were 28 patients in the experimental group and 26 in the placebo control group. In the experimental group, 4 (shenmen, heart, anterior lobe, occiput) and 4 (hips, wrist, elbow, shoulder) areas and the adhesion site were pressed 4 times a day for 5 weeks. The collected data were analyzed using Stata 14.2. The homogeneity of the experimental and control groups was analyzed by Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and independent t-test. the changes in the dependent variables in the experimental and control groups were verified by paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test. The differences in the dependent variables between the experimental and control groups were verified by independent t-test and Mann Whitney U-test.
Results: The hypothesis that “there will be difference in depression between the experimental group and the placebo control group” was supported. There was a statistically significant difference in depression scores (t = 3.111, p = .002) and serotonin levels (t = 6.304, p < .001) between the experimental and control groups. Howerever the hypothesis that ¡°stress, anxiety, HRT in the experimental group and in the placebo control group will be different from each other¡± were rejected.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that auricular acupressure decreased depression scores, and the depression-related physiological index, serotonin, also significantly changed. We conclude that it can be used as a nursing intervention method proven to reduce depression in ㅐoutpatients nurses.
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