Economic Evaluations of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: a Systematic Review.
Lingling Zhang, Snehal Lopes, Tara Lavelle, Karyn Ogata Jones, Liwei Chen, Meenu Jindal, Heidi Zinzow, Lu Shi
Mindfulness 2022 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-022-01960-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Studies of mindfulness-based interventions |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cost-effectiveness analysis |
| Key findings | Standardized mindfulness-based interventions (MBSR and MBCT) are less costly and more effective than usual care or cognitive behavioral therapy for various patient populations. |
Abstract
This study includes a systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, JSTOR, and CINAHL for studies published between January 1985 and September 2021, including an original cost-related evaluation of an MBI. A qualitative assessment of bias was performed using the Drummond checklist. Twenty-eight mindfulness-based intervention studies (18 CEAs and 10 CBAs) were included in this review. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was less costly and more effective when compared with the usual care of cognitive behavioral therapy among patients with chronic lower back pain, fibromyalgia, and breast cancer. MBSR among patients with various physical/mental conditions was associated with reductions in healthcare costs. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was also less costly and more effective than the comparison group among patients with depression, medically unexplained symptoms, and multiple sclerosis. MBCT's cost-effectiveness advantage was also identified among breast cancer patients with persistent pain, non-depressed adults with a history of major depressive disorder episodes, adults diagnosed with ADHD, and all cancer patients. From a societal perspective, the cost-saving property of mindfulness training was evident when used as the treatment of aggressive behaviors among persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities in mental health facilities. Based on this review, more standardized MBI protocols such as MBSR and MBCT compare favorably with usual care in terms of health outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Other MBIs may result in cost savings from both healthcare and societal perspectives among high-risk patient populations.
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 20
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Clinical Practice: A Systematic Review of Neurocognitive Outcomes and Applications for Mental Health and Well-Being. Journal of Clinical Medicine March 3, 2025
- The effect of mindfulness interventions on stress in medical students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2023
- The effect of mindfulness meditation on depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports August 30, 2024
- Acceptability, usage, and efficacy of mindfulness apps for college student mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Journal of Affective Disorders December 15, 2024
- The Impact of Mindfulness on Functional Brain Connectivity and Peripheral Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors with Cognitive Complaints Cancers July 15, 2023
and 15 more in the library
Cites 24
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Restructuring reward processing with Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement: novel therapeutic mechanisms to remediate hedonic dysregulation in addiction, stress, and pain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences April 1, 2016
- Acceptability and Feasibility of a Mindfulness Intervention Delivered via Videoconferencing for People With Parkinson's. Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology January 2022
- Is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Effective for People with Hypertension? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 30 Years of Evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health March 11, 2021
- Mindfulness, Age and Gender as Protective Factors Against Psychological Distress During COVID-19 Pandemic Frontiers in Psychology September 1, 2020
and 19 more in the library