Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training on Health Care Worker Safety: A Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial.

Author: Valley MA1, Stallones L
Affiliation:
1Department of Psychology (Dr Valley, Dr Stallones); Graduate Degree Program in Public Health, Colorado School of Public Health at Colorado State University (Dr Stallones); High Intermountain Plains Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (Dr Stallones), Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Conference/Journal: J Occup Environ Med.
Date published: 2017 Jul 6
Other: Special Notes: doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001090. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 132


OBJECTIVE: The study assessed the impact of mindfulness training on occupational safety of hospital health care workers.

METHODS: The study used a randomized waitlist-controlled trial design to test the effect of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course on self-reported health care worker safety outcomes, measured at baseline, postintervention, and 6 months later.

RESULTS: Twenty-three hospital health care workers participated in the study (11 in immediate intervention group; 12 in waitlist control group). The MBSR training decreased workplace cognitive failures (F [1, 20] = 7.44, P = 0.013, ηP = 0.27) and increased safety compliance behaviors (F [1, 20] = 7.79, P = 0.011, ηP = 0.28) among hospital health care workers. Effects were stable 6 months following the training. The MBSR intervention did not significantly affect participants' promotion of safety in the workplace (F [1, 20] = 0.40, P = 0.54, ηP = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness training may potentially decrease occupational injuries of health care workers.

PMID: 28692014 DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001090

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