Background question: "What is shopping?"
Foreground question:
P(atient): 22 year old female, pharmacy student, no known allergies (NKA)
I(ntervention): Spending money (aka retail therapy)
C(omparison): Napping/sitting on @$$ doing nothing
O(utcome): Feeling better emotionally after a horrid exam
In young females, is retail therapy effective in treating depression?
Article retrieved: Retail Therapy - A Case Report
Abstract: In this non-randomized, non placebo controlled, non double blinded 'study', the patient (JC) chose a retail outlet of her choice. (i.e. this study was open labeled). The primary outcome measured was emotional status (i.e. a surrogate marker). The second outcome measured was time to bankruptcy (a hard clinical endpoint, or a surrogate marker - dependent on interpretation).
Method: Patient shopped around the Eaton Centre for 2 hours. Emotional status was determined before and after the 'shopping trip'. The width of the patient's smile was measured after each successful purchase made (primary outcome) and the patient's bank statement was verified after each purchase. Successful purchases were made at the following stores: Sephora, Garage, the Disney Store and HMV.
Results: At the end of the 'study', patient noted that she felt 'much better' after spending money. On a scale of 1 to 10 (for happiness), she noted an 8 out of 10 after shopping (a 5 point increase in happiness). Patient stated that 'napping' or 'moping around' will have result in a 2 point increase in happiness at best. The ARR was -0.3 (-0.4 to 0) and RR 1.6 (1.3 to 1.9). Upon calculation, the patient spent roughly $70 an hr, speculating that bankruptcy could be achieved within a day.
Conclusions: Because the CI Interval of the RR did not touch/cross one, retail therapy is 1.6x more likely to increase/improve emotional status than napping or doing nothing. However, since the risks (i.e. losing money) outweigh risks, and emotional status is a highly subjective paramter, patients should be counselled on more appropriate alternatives such as antidepressants and St. John's Wort. However, since the RR proved statistically significant, more studies should be done.
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10 comments:
You big spender! $140?? What'd you get? Best be good!
I'm glad you feel better, but material things don't buy you real happiness... Or does it? Hmmm.
Damn yo... that's insane.. hahaha good thing I decided to go home.. and nap. I find that napping works better than shopping, especially if your eyes are bloodshot and you can't think straight. LoL
You did PICO on yourself for shopping?!?!?! I must agree with, Emily. That time working yourself up should have been spent sleeping, ahaha. What did you get?
Hehehe, entertaining post! I think you definitely passed 328, haha.
I went to the mall after the exam too! It did help, but then I felt guilty after awhile...lol. So what did you end up getting?
Omg.... you are turning into a Gloria. Writing an article on shopping?! =P
Yesterday, I got a sweater and headband from RW&Co and then I sat in my room and enjoyed an iced cap.. =) it was excellent.
However, since the RR proved statistically significant, more studies should be done.
Hahaha, maybe the test needs to be performed at differet malls too :P
So what's the NNT (number needed to treat)?!? Primary endpoints? Secondary endpoints? Did the inclusion criteria make sense? In that, I mean was the analysis based only on university students with acute post-exam stress syndrome (a new diagnosis in the DSM-IV ;) )? Can the results be extrapolated to patients with overworked-pharmacist-with-$$-to-burn-and-chronic-addiction-to-tech toys-and-clothing-disease?
purple_pills
Hahahahahaha geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek. ^-^ Good article. Much more interesting than the TORCH article we had to read. (it had less numbers to interpret) hehehee
^_^ Great post, Janet. I LOVE shopping and I totally swear that retail therapy is the answer to every ache and depression or exam-related woes! Nothing feels better than dropping a cool $100 or more on a cute shirt or skirt that does your self esteem good. As long as you're happy (and your credit card isn't maxed out), I say go for the retail therapy. You only live once, girl! ^o^
What did I do after 328? I think I came home and did what I do after every exam. Youtube...
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