Author: Van Puymbroeck M, Burk BN, Shinew KJ, Kuhlenschmidt MC, Schmid AA.
Affiliation: Marieke Van Puymbroeck, PhD, CTRS, is with Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana. Brooke N . Burk , PhD , is an assistant professor at SUNY Cortland , Cortland , New York . Kimberly J . Shinew , PhD, is with the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Megan Cronan Kuhlenschmidt , PhD, is with the Champaign Park District, Champaign, Illinois. Arlene A . Schmid , PhD, OTR , is with Roudebush Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Department of Occupational Therapy, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
Conference/Journal: Am J Health Promot.
Date published: 2013 Feb 12
Other:
Word Count: 179
Abstract Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to describe the health benefits reported by breast cancer survivors following an 8-week yoga intervention. Design. This phenomenological study employed three focus groups with six breast cancer survivors each (n = 18) following the yoga intervention. Setting. The focus groups and yoga classes were conducted in a large hospital in a midsized town in the Midwest. Subjects. Eighteen female breast cancer survivors who were at least 9 months posttreatment participated in the focus groups following the 8-week yoga intervention. Intervention. An 8-week yoga intervention designed specifically for this population was led by a yoga therapist. Measures. A semistructured interview guide was utilized to guide each focus group. Analysis. Interpretative phenomenological analysis methods were employed to explore breast cancer survivors' experiences after participating in an 8-week yoga intervention. Results. The findings revealed that the women in the study found health promoting benefits in the areas of physical health and healing, mental health and healing, and social health and healing. Conclusions. Yoga may be an important tool in the healing process for breast cancer survivors.
PMID: 23402226