Positive Health Online

Abstract

CHAN AND LEHTO, 1. College of Nursing, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, C242, East Lansing, MI 48824. roxane.chan@hc.msu.edu; 2. College of Nursing, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, C344, East Lansing, MI 48824 set out to understand how persons with COPD experience learning meditation and mind/body skills would aid future meditation-focused mind/body intervention design

Background

Persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exhibit high levels of comorbid anxiety that severely worsens their sensation of dyspnoea and is associated with high levels of avoidance of essential activities resulting in an increase morbidity and mortality. Increasing meditation and mind/body practices have been shown to decrease anxiety, and improve intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships in general populations, however, results of studies in the COPD population have been mixed.

Methodology

Design/Setting/Patients: A mixed-method study of a community based meditation-focused mind/body intervention for persons with COPD. Measures: Reflective journaling, phone exit interviews and survey measures: chronic disease respiratory questionnaire, and Anxiety Sensitivity 3 questionnaire. Intervention: Eight weekly one hour meditation-focused mind/body classes that taught concentration and insight meditation skills along with mind/body exercises that facilitated increased body and emotional awareness.

Results

Out of 41 participants, 32 (73%) contributed detailed experience about learning and practising meditation and mind/body practices that distilled into four themes, barriers to practice, learning style, emotional processing, and benefits of practice. Of those 32 participants 21 (73%) identified improvement in physical or emotional symptoms. Overall, 13 (40%) participants provided details regarding how they adapted specific meditation skills into daily life to improve emotional function and lessen dyspnoea. Anxiety sensitivity to social situations was associated with a lack of participation. Lessons learned for larger scale application to future meditation and mind/body intervention design for chronic illness populations such as COPD are identified.

Conclusion

References

Chan RR1, Lehto RH2. The Experience of Learning Meditation and Mind/Body Practices in the COPD Population. Explore (NY). May-Jun 2016;12(3):171-9. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2016.02.004. Epub Mar 2 2016.