Exercise for the treatment of anxiety and depression: a quality improvement project

Abstract

Background: Anxiety and depression significantly impact global health, with rising prevalence rates among college students intensifying the necessity for effective treatment modalities. Traditional pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, while fundamental to treatment, are limited by accessibility, cost, and side effects. Local Problem: This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to integrate exercise, a recommended but underutilized treatment option with evidence of comparable efficacy to standard treatments, into the mental health care plan for college students at a Northern Plains university. Methods: Using the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice, the project introduced an exercise prescription algorithm and provided a clinician education session within the university's health facility. The QI initiative targeted primary care providers, providing them with the tools to incorporate exercise recommendations using patient preference and available campus resources systematically into care plans for students presenting with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Intervention: Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed changes in provider prescribing behaviors, and students were surveyed to assess engagement with prescribed exercise regimens. Results: Results demonstrated an increase in provider comfortability in recommending exercise for patients with anxiety and depression, though data from student surveys and chart audits, a relatively small sample, showed no indication that recommendations were made. Conclusion: Further information would be necessary to determine if the change in provider comfortability and habits of recommending exercise for patients with anxiety and depression results in a change in patient adherence and improves outcomes.