Evaluating the Impact of an Online Mindfulness Program on Healthcare Workers in Korean Medicine Institutions: A Two-Year Retrospective Study.
Healthcare November 10, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12222238 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 23 |
| Population | Korean medicine university students, Korean medicine doctors, and nurses at Korean medicine institutions |
| Interventions | Online mindfulness program smartphone application |
| Duration | 9-week online mindfulness program (five biweekly sessions); two-year evaluation period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | The online mindfulness program was associated with significant improvements in subjective health status and mind–body modality knowledge, and with reduced hwa-byung personality scores; hwa-byung symptom reduction approached significance. Among practicing Korean medicine doctors and nurses, hwa-byung personality and symptom reductions were significant. Burnout levels showed no significant change. Participants reported high satisfaction and willingness to recommend the program. |
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness of a two-year online mindfulness program (five biweekly sessions) combined with a smartphone application for healthcare workers (HCWs) in Korean medicine (KM) institutions.
Methods: Twenty-three participants, including KM University students, KM doctors, and nurses, completed a 9-week online mindfulness program in 2023 or 2024. The pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed subjective health status (SHS), knowledge of mind–body modalities (MBMs), hwa-byung (HB) symptoms, emotional labor (EL), burnout, and program satisfaction.
Results: Participants showed significant improvements in SHS (p = 0.008) and MBM knowledge (p = 0.035). HB personality scores decreased significantly (p = 0.027), while the reduction in HB symptoms approached statistical significance (p = 0.052). The frequency of interactions among job-focused EL increased (p = 0.003). The subgroup analysis revealed significant reductions in HB personality traits (p = 0.017) and symptoms (p = 0.006) among practicing KM doctors and nurses. No significant changes were observed in burnout levels. Participants reported high satisfaction (median 8.00 [IQR 8.0–9.0]) and willingness to recommend the program (median 5.00 [IQR 4.0–5.0]).
Conclusions: Analysis of the 2-year results suggests that the online mindfulness program effectively improved SHS, MBM knowledge, and HB-related symptoms among HCWs in KM institutions, particularly among practicing professionals. High satisfaction rates indicated the acceptability of the program. Future research should use larger sample sizes and randomized controlled designs to further validate these findings and explore long-term outcomes. This intervention shows promise as a tool to promote mental health in Korean healthcare settings.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- Effects of a mindfulness-based interventions on stress, burnout in nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry August 3, 2023
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on the well-being of healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. General Psychiatry 2024
- Efficacy of mHealth aided 12-week meditation and breath intervention on change in burnout and professional quality of life among health care providers of a tertiary care hospital in north India: a randomized waitlist-controlled trial. Frontiers in Public Health 2023
- The First Attempt to Apply an Online Mindfulness Program to Nursing Staff in a Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic in COVID-19 Era: A Case Series Healthcare January 3, 2023
- The impact of mindfulness practice on physician burnout: A scoping review Frontiers in Psychology September 20, 2022
and 3 more in the library