A bilingual mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction program in an inner-city community health center led to statistically significant decreases in medical and psychological symptoms and improvements in self-esteem among English- and Spanish-speaking patients who completed the 8-week program. Many completers reported dramatic changes in attitudes, beliefs, habits, and behaviors. Despite limitations in the research design, the findings suggest that a mindfulness meditation course can be an effective health care intervention for this population. The article also discusses factors to consider when establishing such a program in a health care setting.
In 2023, a record 29% of US adults had experienced depression in their lifetime. Depression impairs quality of life, work, and relationships. Many patients do not respond to antidepressants or therapy, leading to treatment-resistant depression (TRD), which worsens outcomes and raises healthcare costs. This review describes current and emerging TRD treatments—electroconvulsive therapy, ketamine, esketamine, and transcranial magnetic stimulation—to guide nurse practitioner practice.