Qigong practice among chronically ill patients during the SARS outbreak

Area of Science:

• Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
• Public Health
• Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness

Background:

• Biomedicine is mainstream in Hong Kong, yet CAM is widely used for chronic conditions.
• Qigong is a popular CAM practice among chronically ill patients.
• Limited understanding of qigong experiences among chronically ill during the SARS outbreak and its social context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore motivations for practicing qigong among chronically ill individuals.
• To understand their experiences with qigong during the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research employing participant-observation in three qigong classes.
• In-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 participants.
• Content and discourse analysis to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Underlying motivations included perceived legitimacy of qigong for health, health deterioration, and negative biomedical experiences.
• Trigger motivations involved social stigmatization, discrimination, and the need for coping strategies during the SARS outbreak.

Conclusions:

• Qigong practice strengthened participants' health and served as a coping mechanism.
• It facilitated regaining control, security, and overcoming social stigma during the outbreak.
• Healthcare professionals should address the psychosocial needs of chronically ill patients during epidemics.