Arts for health interventions are emerging as an alternative option to medical management of mental health problems and well‐being. This study investigated process and outcomes of an art intervention on patients referred by primary care professionals, including associations between patient characteristics (e.g. sex), progress through the intervention (e.g. attendance), and changes in mental well‐being. Referral criteria included people with anxiety, depression, or stress; low self‐esteem, confidence, or overall well‐being; and chronic illness or pain. The study took place in UK‐based general practitioner practices, with a total of 202 patients referred to a 10‐week intervention. Patient sociodemographic information was recorded at baseline, and patient progress assessed throughout the intervention. Significant improvement in well‐being was revealed for the 7‐item (t = −6.049, d.f. = 83, P < 0.001, two‐tailed) and 14‐item (t = −6.961, d.f. = 83, P < 0.001, two‐tailed) scales. Of referred patients, 77.7% attended and 49.5% completed. Most patients were female, and from a range of socioeconomic groups, and those who completed were significantly older (t = −2.258, d.f. = 145, P = 0.025, two‐tailed). Findings reveal that this art intervention was effective in the promotion of well‐being and in targeting women, older people, and people from lower socioeconomic groups.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.