Mindfulness in the Moment: A Five-Minute Meditation to Reduce COVID-19 Vaccination-Related Anxiety in Patients With Cancer.
Amy Caramore, Justin M O'Leary, Raymond E Baser, Jeanine Gordon, Margaret Barton-Burke, Kristen L. Fessele, Jennifer R Majumdar
Clinical journal of oncology nursing January 26, 2026 DOI: 10.1188/26.CJON.S1.E17-E23 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasiexperimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 256 |
| Population | Adult patients with cancer |
| Intervention | guided meditation |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Covid-19 vaccines Collaboration Prevention Technology |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | A five-minute guided meditation during the postvaccination waiting period significantly reduced acute anxiety compared to usual care. |
Abstract
Anxiety is a common psychosocial concern in people with cancer that was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness-based interventions can reduce anxiety; brief, scalable strategies are needed for clinical integration. This study aimed to assess anxiety in patients with cancer during COVID-19 vaccination and to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief meditation intervention self-administered during the postvaccination waiting period. A DNP-PhD team conducted a quasiexperimental study with 256 adult patients assigned to intervention or control groups based on clinic flow. The intervention group received a five-minute guided meditation via personal mobile devices, and anxiety was measured pre- and postvaccination. Some participants (14%) reported moderate to severe anxiety. The intervention group experienced significantly greater reductions in acute anxiety. The intervention reduced anxiety and can be implemented by oncology nurses to support emotional well-being in outpatient cancer care settings.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A PILOT STUDY OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT) FOR COMBAT VETERANS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) Veterans with chronic combat posttraumatic stress disorder seeking treatment at a VA... | 2013 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual comparison group | n = 37 |
| Being present in the face of existential threat: The role of trait mindfulness in reducing defensive responses to mortality salience. | 2010 | Experimental study | |
| Neural correlates of mindfulness meditation-related anxiety relief Healthy adults with no prior meditation experience | 2013 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 15 |
| Intensive mindfulness training-related changes in cognitive and emotional experience Community adults | 2009 | Quasi-experimental and longitudinal | n = 69 |
| Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment Volunteers | 2019 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 11 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Supporting Caregivers During Ambulatory Cancer Surgery: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Reduce Anxiety. Seminars in Oncology Nursing February 19, 2026
- 5-Minute Audio-Guided Mindfulness Meditation Delivered to Patients' Own Devices for Postoperative Anxiety After Ambulatory Cancer Surgery: Nonrandomized Single-Arm Feasibility Study (Preprint)
Cites 4
- Effects of online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on anxiety symptoms in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies July 28, 2023
- The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cancer-related fatigue in oncology patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis PLoS One July 14, 2022
- Association of Mindfulness-Based Interventions With Anxiety Severity in Adults With Cancer JAMA Network Open August 1, 2020
- Leveraging iPads to introduce meditation and reduce distress among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a promising approach. Supportive Care in Cancer December 2015