Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Chronic Pain Management in the Community Pharmacy Setting: A Cross-Sectional Survey of the General Public's Knowledge and Perceptions.
Klaudia Harris, Jazmyne Jackson, Holly Webster, Jillian Farrow, Yi Zhao, Lindsey Hohmann
Pharmacy September 21, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/pharmacy11050150 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 302 |
| Population | U.S. adults aged 18 and older recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Chronic pain Community pharmacy Pharmacy expanded scope Pharmacy roles |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | The public has low knowledge and confidence about MBSR for chronic pain, holds positive general beliefs about MBSR but more negative beliefs about pharmacy-delivered MBSR, and prefers hybrid class formats. |
Abstract
Patient access to mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a complementary and integrative health approach that is proven to reduce chronic pain, can be increased via community pharmacy-based implementation. However, the general public's awareness and preferences regarding MBSR as a treatment option for chronic pain, including provider roles (pharmacist vs. non-pharmacist), are unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the U.S. general public's knowledge, attitudes, barriers, and programmatic preferences regarding MBSR for chronic pain management, particularly in the community pharmacy setting. A cross-sectional, anonymous online survey was distributed to U.S. adults ≥18 years via the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) online survey platform. The survey instrument was informed by Anderson's framework for health service utilization. Measures were assessed using multiple-choice and 5-point Likert-type scales (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Primary outcome measures included: (1) knowledge and awareness of MBSR (12-items); (2) confidence in seeking out MBSR for pain (5-items); (3) barriers to receiving MBSR (11-items); (4) beliefs about MBSR in general (12-items); (5) beliefs about community pharmacy-delivered MBSR (15-items); and (6) preferences for MBSR classes/programs (6-items). Outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and influential factors associated with mean beliefs regarding community pharmacy-delivered MBSR for chronic pain management were assessed via multiple linear regression. Of the 302 survey respondents, the majority were white (79.1%) and female (50.7%), with a mean age of 44.65 years. Respondents' self-rated MBSR knowledge (mean [SD] scale score: 2.30 [0.68]) and confidence (2.65 [0.87]) were low, although perceived barriers to access were low overall (2.22 [0.53]). Beliefs regarding the use of MBSR for treatment of chronic pain were positive in general (3.67 [0.71]), but more negative regarding community pharmacy-delivered MBSR (2.38 [0.56]). Confidence in seeking out MBSR (β = 0.297, 95% CI = 0.219 to 0.375; p < 0.001) and current opioid use (β = 0.419, 95% CI = 0.147 to 0.690; p = 0.003) were positively associated with beliefs regarding pharmacy-delivered MBSR, while annual household income (β = -0.124, 95% CI = -0.244 to -0.004; p = 0.043) and level of bodily pain (β = -0.149, 95% CI = -0.291 to -0.008; p = 0.039) exerted statistically significant negative influences. Respondents preferred a hybrid MBSR class format including both online and in-person components (29.7%) as well as both group and individual session options (43.7%). In conclusion, further education is necessary to increase the public's perception of community pharmacies as a resource for complementary and integrative health.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Leveraging research for health insurance coverage of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: insights from policy makers, patients and practitioners. Evidence & policy : a journal of research, debate and practice April 4, 2025
- Examining motivators and barriers to meditation practice among individuals with spinal cord injury: Insights from a survey study. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine February 18, 2025
Cites 8
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Breast Cancer Survivors with Chronic Neuropathic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pain Research and Management July 7, 2022
- Providing mindfulness meditation for patients with depression and anxiety in a community pharmacy: A pilot study. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association March 1, 2019
- Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Annals of Behavioral Medicine September 22, 2016
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction: a non-pharmacological approach for chronic illnesses. North American Journal of Medical Sciences 2011
and 3 more in the library