P02.44
Purpose: This study examined the effects of an 8-week community-based mind-body intervention (MBI) in patients being treated for depression and/or anxiety.
Methods: Retrospective open-label study of 124 depressed and/or anxious patients enrolled in a group MBI at their community health centers. Self-report clinical measures of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale – 10 items, CES-D 10), anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory – State Subscale, STAI-State – 20 items), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale – 10 items, PSS-10) were administered pre- and post-intervention. The MBI was created to be accessible to patients receiving care at a community health center. The MBI was billed through behavioral health and accessible to all levels of education. The core of the MBI for depression and anxiety is teaching techniques that elicit the relaxation response (RR), combined with additional resiliency-enhancing components.
Results: Approximately half (52.4%) of the patients completed at least 75% (6 or more) of the 8 sessions, with the average attending 5 sessions. The intervention resulted in a significant decrease in depressive symptoms (change in CES-D 10=−4.3, 95% CI −2.5 to −6.0, p<.0001), anxiety (change in STAI-State=−7.4, 95% CI −2.2 to −12.6, p<.01), and perceived stress (change in PSS-10=−4.8, 95% CI −2.0 to −7.6, p<.01).
Conclusion: Participation in this MBI is associated with an improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms as well as decreases in perceived stress among community health center patients.
Contact: John Denninger, jdenninger@partners.org
