RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Impact of Online Versus In-Person Delivery of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Psychological Distress
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 5642
DO 10.1370/afm.22.s1.5642
VO 21
IS Supplement 3
A1 Auer, Brandon
A1 Parascando, Jessica
A1 Cox, Nevada
A1 Zgierska, Aleksandra
A1 Riley, Timothy
YR 2023
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/21/Supplement_3/5642.abstract
AB Context: Management of psychological distress is a major challenge in healthcare settings. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has documented benefits for psychological distress and has been increasingly offered in health centers across the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated changes to many services, favoring remote delivery. Prior research has focused primarily on in-person delivery of MBSR. To date, the relative benefits of remote versus in-person delivery of MBSR remain to be elucidated.Objective: To evaluate relative changes in psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression) among online and in-person MBSR participants.Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.Setting: Large academic health center in Central Pennsylvania.Population Studied: Adult members of the general public enrolled in MBSR courses.Intervention: Standard eight-week MBSR curriculum was delivered live online or in-person by trained instructors.Outcome Measures: Psychological distress was assessed with measures of stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Assessments were administered to MBSR participants before and after course completion.Results: Among MBSR participants (N=95), 25 completed MBSR training in-person (pre-pandemic) and 70 completed training remotely via video conferencing. The majority identified as white (77.9%), non-Hispanic (91.6%), female (76.8%), >40 years of age (62.1%), with an annual household income <$100,000 USD (45.3%), without between-group differences noted in demographic characteristics. Each group had significantly reduced their mean stress, anxiety and depression scores (all p<0.05) from baseline to post course; these pre-post changes did not differ statistically between the in-person and remote cohorts.Conclusions: The results of this pragmatic study leveraging real-life services and their impact evaluation, suggest that live, remotely delivered MBSR can be an effective, viable alternative to conventional in-person delivery.