Economic Evaluations of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: a Systematic Review.

Objectives: This study includes a systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, JSTOR, and CINAHL for studies published between January 1985 and September 2021, including an original cost-related evaluation of an MBI. A qualitative assessment of bias was performed using the Drummond checklist. Results: Twenty-eight mindfulness-based intervention studies (18 CEAs and 10 CBAs) were included in this review. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was less costly and more effective when compared with the usual care of cognitive behavioral therapy among patients with chronic lower back pain, fibromyalgia, and breast cancer. MBSR among patients with various physical/mental conditions was associated with reductions in healthcare costs. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was also less costly and more effective than the comparison group among patients with depression, medically unexplained symptoms, and multiple sclerosis. MBCT's cost-effectiveness advantage was also identified among breast cancer patients with persistent pain, non-depressed adults with a history of major depressive disorder episodes, adults diagnosed with ADHD, and all cancer patients. From a societal perspective, the cost-saving property of mindfulness training was evident when used as the treatment of aggressive behaviors among persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities in mental health facilities. Conclusions: Based on this review, more standardized MBI protocols such as MBSR and MBCT compare favorably with usual care in terms of health outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Other MBIs may result in cost savings from both healthcare and societal perspectives among high-risk patient populations.

Perceptions about mindfulness-based interventions among individuals recovering from opioid and alcohol use disorders: Findings from focus groups.

OBJECTIVES: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been used as an intervention to support recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). We sought to identify attitudes and experiences toward standardized MBIs among individuals recovering from these substance abuse disorders (SUD) through a qualitative approach. DESIGN: We conducted three 60-minute focus groups among people with history of SUD (6-months to 3 years in recovery): two groups with those with alcohol use disorder (AUD) history and one with individuals with history of opioid use disorder (OUD). Each group had eight participants. RESULTS: Most participants of the OUD focus group had tried some variations on mindfulness training or meditation-like therapies during treatment. Participants expressed perceived benefits for MBIs' non-pharmacological property, while expressing concerns related to perceived barriers of cost, scheduling conflicts with work and child/family care needs, and possible lack of provider empathy. Gift cards and other rewards were recognized as useful participation and retention incentives for completing the described program; the training itself was perceived as an "incentive" if able to deliver significant benefits related to supporting continued recovery from SUD. An overarching theme across all groups was that participants reported their own altruistic behavior and social connectedness as important motivators to help them maintain recovery. CONCLUSION: The importance of perceived provider empathy and the patient's social connectedness in SUD interventions was underscored as incentives for participation and retention, providing valuable information for the implementation of MBIs among patients recovering from SUD.

Differing effects of mass and interpersonal communication on breast cancer risk estimates: an exploratory study of college students and their mothers.

Research has demonstrated that women tend to overestimate the percentage of all breast cancers that result from genetic predispositions, and this article examines the knowledge of college students, as well as their mothers, on this subject, applying uncertainty management (Brashers, 2001) as the theoretical framework. The authors build on the literature by studying (a) the types of media outlets college students and their mothers use for securing information, and (b) the types of articles and programs within those outlets that may affect risk perceptions. The authors also address associations between these mass communication measures and interpersonal sources of information in the context of risk estimation. Respondents exposed to media reports about the role of genetics in breast cancer, in addition to study participants who had discussed this role within the family, tended to overestimate measures of genetic risk. Conversely, those who had attended to media reports about screening practices tended to offer lower risk estimates, indicating that such reports may have positioned genetics as just one factor in the overall equation of breast cancer risk. The authors discuss the implications of these and other findings for communication scholars and health practitioners.