Integrating Virtual Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Into Inflammatory Bowel Disease Care: Mixed Methods Feasibility Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) for adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experiencing anxiety or depression.
Results Summary
The study found that v-MBSR led to decreased anxiety and depression symptoms and improved health-related quality of life, with effects persisting at 6-month follow-up. Participants reported improved coping strategies and disease management, though adherence was low due to time constraints.
Population
Adults with IBD and self-reported anxiety or depression in Alberta, Canada.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
8 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | decrease | anxiety symptoms | participants | - | experienced encouraging effects including decreased | #1 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | decrease | depression symptoms | participants | - | experienced encouraging effects including decreased | #2 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | increase | health-related QoL | participants | - | experienced encouraging effects including increased | #3 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | decrease | anxiety and depression symptoms and health-related QoL | participants | - | improvements persisting at 6-month follow-up | #4 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | increase | coping strategies | Participants | - | described improved | #5 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | increase | disease management techniques | Participants | - | described improved | #6 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | decrease | anxiety | those who completed the intervention | - | improvements to | #7 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | decrease | depression | those who completed the intervention | - | improvements to | #8 |
virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) | increase | QoL | those who completed the intervention | - | improvements to | #9 |
BACKGROUND: Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience cycles of aggressive physical symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fatigue. These acute symptoms regress and return, and chronic symptoms and complications often linger. The nature of the disease can also cause individuals to experience psychological distress including symptoms of anxiety and depression; however, unlike the physical symptoms of IBD, these psychological symptoms often remain untreated. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction (v-MBSR) for adults with IBD. METHODS: IBD patients with self-reported anxiety or depression were recruited from clinics in Alberta, Canada to participate in an 8-week v-MSBR intervention. Eligible patients participated in v-MBSR delivered by psychiatrists using a videoconferencing platform. Primary feasibility outcomes included trial uptake, adherence, attendance, and attrition rates. Secondary effectiveness outcomes included measures of anxiety, depression, quality of life (QoL), and mindfulness. Effectiveness data were collected at 3 time points: baseline, at intervention completion, and 6 months after completion. To further assess feasibility and acceptability, participants were invited to participate in a semistructured interview after completing v-MBSR. RESULTS: A total of 16 of the 64 (25%) referred patients agreed to participate in v-MBSR with the most common reason for decline being a lack of time while 7 of the 16 (43.8%) participants completed the program and experienced encouraging effects including decreased anxiety and depression symptoms and increased health-related QoL with both improvements persisting at 6-month follow-up. Participants described improved coping strategies and disease management techniques as benefits of v-MBSR. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IBD were interested in a psychiatrist-led virtual anxiety management intervention, but results demonstrate v-MBSR may be too time intensive for some patients with IBD patients. v-MBSR was acceptable to those who completed the intervention, and improvements to anxiety, depression, and QoL were promising and sustainable. Future studies should attempt to characterize the patients with IBD who may benefit most from interventions like v-MBSR.