An exploratory pilot of “A Mindful Heart”: A group-based approach for stress management in primary care.

Abstract

Psychosocial stress has been considered a contributing factor to the development and maintenance of hypertension. "A Mindful Heart" is a group-based intervention developed for stress management in patients who are hypertensive or prehypertensive. This program was designed to address a gap in the field of behavioral health; specifically, the need for brief, group-based interventions for primary care settings. The goal of this project was to determine intervention feasibility in the primary care setting. The group was conducted with 8 primary care patients who were low-income with hypertension. Assessments were conducted pre-and posttreatment. Improvements were found in multiple, self-report domains but not blood pressure (e.g., perceived stress, perceived physical health status, perceived mental health status). Despite study methodology limitations, the intervention feasibility is promising for the primary care setting. Clinical Impact StatementThis study advances the idea of the feasibility of a brief group intervention to promote stress management for patients at risk for cardiovascular disease in a primary care setting. Additionally, this study highlights the impact of a brief intervention on perceived health status for patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.