Author: Hoge EA1, Guidos BM2, Mete M3, Bui E4, Pollack MH5, Simon NM4, Dutton MA2
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington, DC, United States; Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address: ehoge@partners.org.
<sup>2</sup>Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington, DC, United States.
<sup>3</sup>Medstar Health Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States.
<sup>4</sup>Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
<sup>5</sup>Rush University Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, United States.
Conference/Journal: J Psychosom Res.
Date published: 2017 Apr
Other:
Volume ID: 95 , Pages: 7-11 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.01.011. Epub 2017 Jan 23. , Word Count: 175
OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of mindfulness meditation on occupational functioning in individuals with Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
METHODS: Fifty-seven individuals with GAD (mean (SD) age=39 (13); 56% women) participated in an 8-week clinical trial in which they were randomized to mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or an attention control class. In this secondary analysis, absenteeism, entire workdays missed, partial workdays missed, and healthcare utilization patterns were assessed before and after treatment.
RESULTS: Compared to the attention control class, participation in MBSR was associated with a significantly greater decrease in partial work days missed for adults with GAD (t=2.734, df=51, p=0.009). Interestingly, a dose effect was observed during the 24-week post-treatment follow-up period: among MBSR participants, greater home mindfulness meditation practice was associated with less work loss and with fewer mental health professional visits.
CONCLUSION: Mindfulness meditation training may improve occupational functioning and decrease healthcare utilization in adults with GAD.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS: Absenteeism; Anxiety; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01033851; Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); Health care utilization; Mindfulness/meditation; Work loss
PMID: 28314552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.01.011