Adherence Patterns and Acceptability of a Perioperative, App-Based Mindfulness Meditation Among Surgical Patients With Chronic Pain
Maggie L. Diller, Jennifer S Mascaro, Carla I Haack, Viraj Master
The American Surgeon™ May 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1177/00031348221109815 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Surgical patients with chronic pain |
| Dose | 10 minutes/day |
| Duration | 6-week study period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Surgical patients with chronic pain reported high interest in using an app-based mindfulness intervention, but actual adherence was low, with only 8% using it for the recommended amount of time. |
Abstract
Identifying barriers to compliance with mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) during the perioperative period is paramount to the design and implementation of non-pharmacologic, opiate-sparing pain regimens. We prospectively investigated the acceptability and adherence patterns of an app-based MBI amongst surgical patients with chronic pain. Patients were provided a subscription code to a meditation app and encouraged to use the app an average of 10 minutes/day over a 6-week study period. Patients reported a high level of interest in using the app prior to enrollment. 71% used the app at least once, 30% for half the recommended time, and 8% for the recommended amount of time. 88% of respondents enjoyed using the app and agreed it improved mental health and stress levels. Surgical patients with pre-existing pain report a high level of interest in utilizing MBIs perioperatively. Identifying barriers to compliance represents an important area of future investigation.
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 |