ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine associations between mindfulness meditation and mental health and health-related quality of life among Buddhist monastics. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of Chinese Buddhist monastics aged ≥18 years who practised mindfulness meditation daily. Mental health was assessed by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), whereas health-related quality of life was assessed by the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). The number of years and the average daily amount of time spent in mindfulness meditation were collected. RESULTS: 47 monastics completed the interview. They practised mindfulness meditation for a mean of 7.3 years, 1.1 hours per day. Both the number of years (ß = -0.48, p = 0.03) and amount of daily practice (ß = -0.53, p < 0.001) of mindfulness meditation were associated with the GHQ-12 score, after adjusting for age, sex, education, and years of being a monastic. Only the amount of daily practice (ß = 0.44, p = 0.004) was associated with the mental component summary of SF-12. Neither was associated with the physical component summary of SF-12. CONCLUSIONS: Among Chinese Buddhist monastics who practise daily mindfulness meditation, spending more time each day and having longer years of practice were associated with better mental health.
Subject(s)
Buddhism/psychology , Meditation , Mental Health , Mindfulness , Monks/psychology , Quality of Life , Adult , Asian People/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Meditation/psychology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Occupational exposures to herbicides were measured among 12 applicators in 1979 and 24 applicators in 1980, who were applying the three herbicides, 2,4-D, dichloroprop and picloram to electric power transmission rights of ways. In 1979 only urine was analyzed but in 1980 both breathing-zone air samples and urine were analyzed for herbicide residues. Dermal absorption was found to be the major absorption route being up to 50 times greater than exposure by the inhalation route when using a hand gun sprayer. Even with the mist blower herbicide application method, dermal absorption was 4 and 11 times greater than exposure by the inhalation route. Worker education on hazards of skin contact and improved protective equipment significantly reduced the 1980 urine concentrations of herbicide residues. A model is presented to relate the urinary concentrations to equivalent daily exposure levels.
