Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of Baduanjin combined with auricular plaster therapy (APT) on anxiety and depression of COVID-19 patients during rehabilitation period. Methods COVID-19 patients in rehabilitation period in 6 isolation areas of Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital from February to April 2020, were selected as observation objects. According to the random number method, they were divided into control group, APT group, and APT combined with Baduanjin group, and 49, 48, and 50 cases respectively completed the experiment. The control group was given routine psychological intervention; APT group received additional auricular plaster therapy, and APT combined with Baduanjin group was given APT combined with Baduanjin intervention in addition to psychological intervention. Anxiety and depression of COVID-19 patients in the three groups were compared before the and at the end of 2-week intervention. Results At the end of 2-week intervention, there were no patients with severe anxiety or depression. Patients in APT combined with Baduanjin group presented less anxiety than those in the control group(χ²=23.673,P=0.003) and in APT group(χ²=18.708, P=0.029). Patients in APT combined with Baduanjin group were also less depressed than those in APT group(χ²=18.449, P=0.007). Conclusion Routine psychological intervention, APT and APT combined with Baduanjin can reduce the level of anxiety and depression of COVID-19 patients during rehabilitation period but the effect of APT combined with Baduanjin is better than that of routine psychological intervention and APT.

Key words: auricular plaster therapy, Baduanjin, COVID-19, anxiety, depression