Realizing the Economic Potential of Meditation and Mindfulness Practices in Mental Health Care.
Jagpreet Chhatwal, Rachael L Fleurence
Value in health : the journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research May 6, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2025.04.2164 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | meditation mindfulness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key points | Argues that meditation and mindfulness practices are cost-effective for mental health but underutilized due to methodological and funding barriers, and that addressing these could mainstream their use. |
Abstract
This commentary explores the economic potential of integrating meditation and mindfulness practices into mental health care, highlighting their cost-effectiveness in alleviating mental illness. Despite growing evidence of their benefits in reducing anxiety, depression, and stress, these practices remain underutilized. Economic evaluations are limited because of insufficient funding, heterogeneous methodologies, and a lack of standardized interventions and outcome measures, compounded by a scarcity of robust randomized controlled trials. The article purports that increased investment in rigorous, long-term studies, the creation of standardized protocols, and the incorporation of digital tools to enhance adherence will help increase their uptake in practice. Addressing these barriers could elevate meditation and mindfulness from supplementary treatments to mainstream mental health interventions, thereby reducing healthcare costs and improving accessibility.