Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Military Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Feasibility Study.
Carol D Crisp, Marie Hastings-Tolsma, Karen R Jonscher
Military Medicine September 2016 DOI: 10.7205/milmed-d-15-00354 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective pilot feasibility study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Active duty military women previously diagnosed with chronic pelvic pain |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week MBSR training program |
| Measures | Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness, Brief Pain Inventory |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | The authors report that a standard 8-week MBSR program is difficult to implement in a military population and suggest other delivery formats should be considered. They note a trend suggestive that program participation promotes mindfulness, reduces pain, and modulates select pro-inflammatory cytokines, and conclude that further research is warranted. |
Abstract
One of the most common reasons women seek gynecologic health care services is for chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and women in the military are no exception. For women diagnosed with CPP, the burden can be difficult as they struggle to perform military obligations. A chronic low-grade systemic disease believed triggered by inflammation, CPP is difficult to diagnose and treat. With limited treatment strategies available, this study sought to examine the feasibility of implementing a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program in a military population. This prospective study evaluated the feasibility of a standard 8-week MBSR training program in a population of active duty women previously diagnosed with CPP (N = 15). Participants also completed the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness survey and the Brief Pain Inventory, did home practice and kept a daily diary. Vaginal swabs were obtained at baseline and at study completion. A standard MBSR program is difficult to implement in a military population; other delivery formats should be considered. There was a trend suggestive that program participation promotes mindfulness, reduces pain, and promotes modulation of select pro-inflammatory cytokines. On the basis of results of this pilot feasibility study, further research is warranted.
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
Cited by 6
- Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Military Populations with Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine September 1, 2024
- Complementary Approaches for Military Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Randomized Trial. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine January 2023
- The effects of a brief mindfulness-based intervention on pain perceptions in patients with chronic pelvic pain: A case series. Case reports in women's health January 2022
- Adapting Mindfulness Training for Military Service Members With Chronic Pain. Military Medicine October 17, 2019
- Comparison of the Effectiveness of MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Group Therapy With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Severity of Pain and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Migraine International Clinical Neuroscience Journal September 18, 2019
and 1 more in the library
Cites 6
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Mindfulness online: an evaluation of the feasibility of a web-based mindfulness course for stress, anxiety and depression BMJ Open November 1, 2013
- The psychometric properties of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills in clinical populations. Assessment June 2010
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for chronic pain conditions: variation in treatment outcomes and role of home meditation practice. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2010
and 1 more in the library