The effects of haiku on mental health: Assessed with QOL and digital pulse wave analysis

48^th Global Nursing & Healthcare Conference

March 04-06, 2019 | Barcelona, Spain

Ayako Okutsu

Kansai University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Japan

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Introduction: Haiku is the worldâ??s shortest form of fixed verse. Haiku uniquely developed in Japanese culture and consists of 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. Many Japanese routinely compose haiku poems that highlight causal events in life. The current study examined the mental health of people who like haiku.

Subjects: Subjects were 20 male and female Japanese who routinely enjoyed haiku.

Methods: Subjectsâ?? quality of life (QOL) was assessed, and changes in the digital pulse wave were compared before and after a poetry gathering (where people present their own poems and assess those of others).

Results: People who like haiku had a significantly better QOL than that of typical Japanese. Autonomic nervous function and fluctuations in the digital pulse wave were close to ideal after the poetry gathering in comparison to before.

Conclusion: Haiku has a positive effect on mental health.