Medical Anatomical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, Western University of Health Sciences, Lebanon, Oregon, United States of America.
2 papers in the library · 41 citations · publishing 2023-2024
Mindfulness interventions reduce stress in medical students by a small-to-moderate amount. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 studies found that these interventions significantly improved stress levels in both two-arm studies (effect size 0.37) and one-arm pre-post studies (effect size 0.29). Trends from moderator analyses suggested that fewer hours and less required practice led to better stress improvement. The findings confirm that a wide variety of mindfulness programs worldwide produce consistent stress reduction in this high-stress population.
A 6-week internet-delivered Mantram Repetition Program (MRP) was feasible and acceptable for women recently treated for breast cancer, with 86% adherence and 19.2% attrition. Pooled pre-to-post-intervention data showed decreased perceived stress and increased spiritual well-being. Cytokine analysis revealed that IFN-γ and IL-17A increased in the waitlisted group and decreased in the treatment group. The findings suggest MRP may reduce perceived stress and support spiritual well-being, but further studies are needed.