ID No.: 2015HZ67003
NAME OF THE STUDENT: Shah Bhumika Hemant
DISSERTATION TITLE: Clinical Biofeedback for the treatment of Type-II Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension.
ABSTRACT
In this research study the efficacy of biofeedback, an adjunct method to medication, is explored for the treatment of a) non-insulin type- II diabetes mellitus and b) hypertension in renal patients. Seven diabetic patients were given 10 sessions of thermal biofeedback. Hand temperature and random blood sugar was recorded before and after the session for each patient. Significant decrease in the blood glucose level was observed for patients who were able to increase the hand temperature by 0.5°C or more. For hypertension, seven renal patients were given 10 sessions of auditory biofeedback. The sessions were conducted using the RESPeRATE device after the completion of their hemodialysis process on every alternate days. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were noted before and after the completion of biofeedback sessions. For two renal patients, the biofeedback sessions were carried out after 90 minutes from the start of hemodialysis process. No significant decrease in the blood pressure was observed for the sessions that were carried after hemodialysis but decrease in systolic blood pressure was observed in biofeedback sessions conducted during hemodialysis. Patients reported that the device-guided breathing pattern from RESPeRATE device helped them to reduce stress and anxiety caused due to hemodialysis and some patients reported of improvement in night-sleep because of biofeedback sessions. Also, in this study, models like Operant conditioning model, Green’s model, direct model by McKee etc., which are developed to explain the working mechanism of biofeedback are briefly inquired. None of the models gives the exact working of biofeedback.
