Efficacy of a mindfulness shortened version program to reduce distress in cancer patients

<p>Leon C, Mirapeix R, Jovell E, Blasco T, Arcusa A, García D, Garriga S, Dalmau I, Gispert A and Abadia C</p>

Efficacy of a mindfulness shortened version program to reduce distress in cancer patients

Leon C, Mirapeix R, Jovell E, Blasco T, Arcusa A, García D, Garriga S, Dalmau I, Gispert A and Abadia C

Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Spain

: J Regen Med

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Mindfulness reduces emotional distress and improves quality of life(QLQ) in cancer patients. However, a high number of sessions and daily practice are required and some patients have difficulties to follow these schedules. Shorter programs are needed to increase compliance.

Objective: To test whether a mindfulness practice schedule of 10 minutes/day (10 M) for eight weeks provides the same results than a 30 minutes/day program (30M) for 10 weeks in reducing anxiety and depression and improving QLQ in cancer outpatients. Methods: Patients of the IOV (Hospital Terrassa-HT y Hospital Taulí de Sabadell-PT) who participated voluntarily and signed the informed consent were included. HT patients practiced the 30M schedule, and PT patients practiced the 10M schedule. Anxiety, Depression and QLQ with STAI, BDI and QLQC-30, were assessed before intervention and at the sixth week of the program.

Results: Forty-five patients applied the 30M schedule and 49 patients applied the 10M schedule. Decreases in pre-post scores reaching statistical significance were observed for both groups in anxiety (STAI) and depression (BDI). QLQ scores in 10M group, improved statistically in eleven dimensions: Physical, Role, Emotional, Cognitive, Social, Global, Fatigue, Nausea, Pain, Dyspnea and Insomnia (Fig.1). QLQ scores in the 30M group improved statistically only in two dimensions: Emotional and Insomnia (Fig.2).

Conclusions: After six weeks of a 10 minutes daily practice of mindfulness, cancer outpatients improve quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression. Thus, this 10M reduced program of mindfulness should be recommended since it can be applied easily in cancer outpatients.