48. Alleviating effects of digitalized rural tourism experiences on psychological mood in urban individuals with depression

Abstract Background Urban depression rates continue to rise, driven by intensified societal competition, accelerated lifestyles, and social isolation. Pharmacological interventions carry side-effect risks, while offline psychological support remains limited by geographical and temporal barriers, reaching only a fraction of affected populations. Rural tourism, combining natural environments and cultural immersion, has demonstrated therapeutic potential but is constrained by travel costs and physical accessibility. Recent advancements in digital technologies—deep integration with tourism scenarios—have enabled immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, smart navigation, and interactive guides to transcend spatial–temporal limitations. This study quantitatively evaluates the mental health impacts of digital rural tourism on urban depression patients, assessing changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, and life satisfaction to inform scalable, accessible intervention strategies. Methods 108 depressed patients aged 18-55 were recruited from urban medical institutions (SDS score ≥ 53). Using a random number table, participants were assigned to: an intervention group (n = 36), Control Group 1 (traditional rural tourism, n = 36), or Control Group 2 (conventional counseling, n = 36). No significant differences existed in demographics or baseline scores (p>.05). The intervention group underwent 8 weeks of digital rural tourism (3 weekly 60-minute sessions) via immersive VR exploration of rural landscapes, supplemented by a smart APP with cultural commentary and interactive tasks. Control Group 1 engaged in weekly physical rural tourism (120 minutes/session) mirroring the digital scenes. Control Group 2 received twice-weekly conventional counseling (45 minutes/session). Outcomes were measured using SDS, SAS, and SWLS at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up. SPSS 26.0 analyzed data using repeated measures ANOVA, independent t-tests, and chi-square tests (p