[Long-term effects of a mindfulness and self-compassion program with Primary Healthcare professionals]. / Persistencia a largo plazo de los efectos de un programa de mindfulness y autocompasión en profesionales sanitarios de Atención Primaria.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of mindfulness and self-compassion-based interventions (MSCI) on emotional fatigue and stress in Primary Healthcare (PHC) professionals has been demonstrated in the short term. The aims of this work were to assess whether these effects persist after two years, and if the observed results differ between those who practiced mindfulness regularly during the follow-up (meditators) and those who did not. METHODS: Prospective study - pre-post and two years after performing an MSCI that was offered to all PHC professionals in Navarra, with group sessions of 2.5 hours / week for 8 weeks. Attending at least 75% of the sessions and practicing at home for 45 minutes a day were mandatory. At the three moments of the study, questionnaires were distributed to measure levels of mindfulness (FFMQ), self-compassion (SCS), perceived stress (PSQ) and burnout (MBI). At the end of the follow-up period, participants were asked if they were meditators and the time they dedicated to this weekly. RESULTS: Forty-eight professionals were enrolled and 41 (83% women) met the inclusion criteria, without loss to follow-up. Mean scores in mindfulness, self-compassion and perceived stress significantly improved after the intervention and in the long term (p <0.001), without observing differences in the level of burnout. The group of meditators achieved a greater long-term improvement in self-compassion (3.6 points vs. 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of an MSCI persists two years later regardless of meditator status, although there is a significant improvement in self-compassion in the meditators.

Persistencia a largo plazo de los efectos de un programa de mindfulness y autocompasión en profesionales sanitarios de Atención Primaria / Long-term effects of a mindfulness and self-compassion program with Primary Healthcare professionals

INTRODUCCIÓN: La efectividad de las intervenciones basadas en mindfulness (IBM) y autocompasión sobre el cansancio emocional y el estrés en profesionales sanitarios de Atención Primaria (AP) ha sido demostrada a corto plazo. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron valorar si esos efectos persisten a los dos años, y si los resultados encontrados difieren entre quienes practicaron mindfulness habitualmente durante ese tiempo (meditadores) y los que no. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio prospectivo antes-después y a los dos años de realizar una IBM ofertado a todos los profesionales sanitarios de AP de Navarra, con sesiones grupales de 2,5 horas/semana durante 8 semanas. Se requería asistir al menos al 75% de las sesiones y practicar en casa 45 minutos diarios. En los tres momentos se pasaron cuestionarios para medir los niveles de mind-fulness (FFMQ), autocompasión (SCS), estrés percibido (PSQ) y burnout (MBI). A los dos años tras la intervención se les preguntó si practicaban habitualmente mind-fulness y el tiempo semanal dedicado a ello. RESULTADOS: Aceptaron 48 profesionales y 41 (83% mujeres) cumplieron los criterios de inclusión, sin pérdidas en el seguimiento. Las puntuaciones medias en mind-fulness, autocompasión y estrés percibido mejoraron significativamente tras la intervención y a largo plazo (p < 0,001), sin obtenerse diferencias en el nivel de burnout. La mejoría a largo plazo en autocompasión fue mayor en el grupo que meditó regularmente (3,6 puntos vs 1,6). CONCLUSIONES: La efectividad de una IBM persiste a los dos años de la intervención independientemente de si se practicó meditación o no, aunque la autocompasión mejoró significativamente más en los meditadores

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of mindfulness and self-compassion-based interventions (MSCI) on emotional fatigue and stress in Primary Healthcare (PHC) professionals has been demonstrated in the short term. The aims of this work were to assess whether these effects persist after two years, and if the observed results differ between those who practiced mindfulness regularly during the follow-up (meditators) and those who did not. METHODS: Prospective study - pre-post and two years after performing an MSCI that was offered to all PHC professionals in Navarra, with group sessions of 2.5 hours / week for 8 weeks. Attending at least 75% of the sessions and practicing at home for 45 minutes a day were mandatory. At the three moments of the study, questionnaires were distributed to measure levels of mindfulness (FFMQ), self-compassion (SCS), perceived stress (PSQ) and burnout (MBI). At the end of the follow-up period, participants were asked if they were meditators and the time they dedicated to this weekly. RESULTS: Forty-eight professionals were enrolled and 41 (83% women) met the inclusion criteria, without loss to follow-up. Mean scores in mindfulness, self-compassion and perceived stress significantly improved after the intervention and in the long term (p <0.001), without observing differences in the level of burnout. The group of meditators achieved a greater long-term improvement in self-compassion (3.6 points vs. 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of an MSCI persists two years later regardless of meditator status, although there is a significant improvement in self-compassion in the meditators