Comparison of the effectiveness of (complementary medicine) Ayurveda, cognitive-behavioral therapy and the combination of these two therapies on quality of life in depressed women

Objectives: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric problems. New research indicate that even a mild level of depression is associated with a significant decrease in the quality of life in adults. Therefore, the existence of a natural, simple, cost-effective treatment method is needed by every person suffering from depression. The purpose of this research is to compare the effectiveness of Ayurvedic knowledge, as a complementary medicine approved by the World Health Organization, with cognitive-behavioral therapy and the combination of these two therapies on the quality of life in depressed women. Methodology: The research was semi-experimental and pre-test-post-test with a control group. The statistical population included 40 women aged 25-45 with moderate depression. The tools of data collection included World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire - Short Form and Beck Depression Inventory. The data were analyzed using mixed variance analysis tests. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the quality of life scores of depressed women before, after, and during the follow-up period of Ayurvedic and cognitive-behavioral treatment courses between the experimental and control groups. But in the combined treatment period, a statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups(P-value <0.05). Conclusion: Considering the adverse effects of depression on the quality of life, the combination of Ayurveda as a complementary medicine and cognitive-behavioral therapy can be beneficial in improving the quality of life of depressed women.