A Quasi-Experimental Study Exploring Anxiety and Meditation in Healthcare Workers Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine
Justin M O'Leary, Amy Caramore, Raymond S Baser, Jennifer R Majumdar, Margaret Barton-Burke, Kristen L. Fessele
Journal of the American Nurses Association - New York November 30, 2024 DOI: 10.47988/janany.70558153.4.1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 461 |
| Population | Healthcare employees receiving COVID-19 vaccination at a hospital-run vaccination clinic |
| Intervention | Guided breath and body meditation |
| Duration | 5-minute meditation during the post-vaccination waiting period |
| Measures | General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Visual Analogue Scale-Anxiety (VAS-A) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | A 5-minute guided breath and body meditation during the post-vaccination waiting period significantly reduced state anxiety (VAS-A) compared with controls: mean change -9.5 (95% CI -11.9, -7.1) versus -2.6 (95% CI -5.7, 0.5), p < .001. Before vaccination, 17.4% of participants reported moderate-to-severe baseline anxiety on the GAD-7. |
Abstract
Background: Healthcare workers standing at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic faced many concurrent sources of anxiety including critically ill patients, nosocomial transmission, and physical exhaustion due to staffing shortages. Our multidisciplinary team recognized the urgent need to assess and support our healthcare providers during COVID-19 vaccine administration in hospital employees.
Objectives: The purpose of the quasi-experimental study was to pilot a 5-minute guided breath and body meditation designed and recorded by a Meditation Mind-Body Therapist of the researchers’ Integrative Medicine Department. The primary research aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of anxiety among healthcare employees during COVID-19 vaccination. The secondary aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the mind-body meditation for anxiety in reducing reported levels of anxiety.
Method: A 2 arm, quasi-experimental design was utilized to assign participants to a 5-minute meditation (intervention) during the post-vaccination waiting period at a hospital-run vaccination clinic. Pre-vaccination, baseline anxiety within the last 2 weeks was measured with the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and current state anxiety with the Visual Analogue Scale-Anxiety (VAS-A). Post-vaccination, anxiety was reassessed using the VAS-A. REDCap was utilized to electronically deliver all study elements on the patient’s personal smartphone, including data entry and meditation administration.
Results: 461 patients enrolled in the study. Pre-vaccination GAD-7 results revealed 17.4% of participants reported moderate-severe baseline anxiety. The meditation intervention had a statistically significant (p < .001) reduction in anxiety (VAS-A) scores from pre- to post-vaccination compared to controls. The mean change in VAS-A scores was -9.5 (95% CI -11.9, -7.1) within the intervention group and -2.6 (95% CI -5.7, 0.5) within the control group.
Discussion: The use of a brief meditation during the COVID-19 vaccine post-vaccination waiting period decreased anxiety in healthcare workers. The simplicity, scalability, and minimal budget requirements make this non-pharmacological intervention useful in addressing anxiety during vaccination.
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 |