Mindfulness-based interventions for improving mental health of frontline healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.
Gemma Benavides-Gil, Fermín Martínez-zaragoza, Jordi Fernández-castro, Alicia Sánchez-pérez, Rosa García-sierra
Systematic Reviews June 20, 2024 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02574-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Healthcare professionals working in healthcare centers during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Burnout Covid-19 Health care professionals Mental health Mindfulness-based intervention Stress Systematic review |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based interventions improved stress, mindfulness, and mental well-being in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, but showed no conclusive effect on burnout, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, or resilience. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) appear to be effective for improving the mental health of healthcare professionals (HCPs). However, the effectiveness of MBIs on extreme psychological trauma caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is largely unknown. The aim of this paper was to systematically review empirical studies of MBIs for HCPs carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, to evaluate them and their effectiveness in different areas of mental health. The electronic databases searched were Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO. The date when each database was last searched was September 15, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs), and non-randomized non-controlled trials (NRNCTs) focused on MBIs for health care staff who were working in healthcare centers during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. All of them employed standardized measures of mental health. The review followed the best practices and reported using PRISMA guidelines. A data collection form, adapted from the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions, was used to extract and synthesize the results. The methods used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies were the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the ROBINS-I Tool. Twenty-eight studies were included in the systematic review. Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was moderate. The results showed the effectiveness of MBIs in improving levels of stress, mindfulness, and mental well-being. However, no conclusive results were found regarding the effectiveness of MBIs in improving the levels of burnout, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and resilience of HCPs. The MBIs for HCPs carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic have mainly contributed to improving stress, mindfulness, and mental well-being at a time of serious health emergency. However, more robust studies at a methodological level would have been desirable. PROSPERO CRD42021267621.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Cultivating Resilient Doctor of Nursing Practice Leaders: Student Experiences With an Embedded Mindfulness Curriculum Nurse Educator September 22, 2026
- Nursing students’ experiences with mindfulness during clinical placement in mental health work – A qualitative research study Research Square September 9, 2026
- Mindfulness and Resilience Intersection of Psychology, Esotericism, and Cultural Development July 16, 2026
- Effect of Yoga Intervention for Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine July 2026
- Effectiveness of an online mindfulness-based stress reduction program for nurses in high-stress occupational settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applied nursing research : ANR February 1, 2026
and 3 more in the library
Cites 24
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
- What Do We Really Know About Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction? Psychosomatic Medicine 2002
and 19 more in the library