Feasibility, Acceptability, and Outcomes of a Yoga-Based Meditation Intervention for Hospice Professionals to Combat Burnout

Abstract

(1) Background. This research examined the feasibility, acceptability and outcomes of delivering a 6-week yoga-based meditation intervention to clinical teams of hospice professionals (HPs) at a large non-profit hospice organization. The intervention was designed to increase mind-body integration and combat burnout. This article was written for different audiences, including research scientists who study interoception, burnout, meditation, or yoga, designers of meditation interventions, and hospice organizations looking for ways to mitigate HP burnout. (2) Methods. The intervention was launched within clinical teams, beginning with a half-hour online introduction to the program and exposure to the week 1 meditation at each team’s monthly all-staff meeting. Throughout the program, HPs could access the meditations on their own via their workplace computers, tablets, and smartphones. Online pre- and post-intervention surveys were submitted by 151 HPs, 76 of whom were exposed to the intervention and completed both surveys. The surveys assessed burnout using the Professional Fulfillment Index and mind-body integration using the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness scales. (3) Results. Two-thirds of HPs who were present at a staff meeting where the program was introduced went on to do a meditation on their own at least once. Half of HPs expressed a desire to continue with access to the meditations after the 6-week program ended. Due to COVID-19 work from home restrictions, three-fourth of HPs did a meditation at home, 29% in a car between patient visits (not while driving), and 23% at the office. Higher interoceptive awareness was significantly related to lower burnout, particularly lower work exhaustion. Meditation frequency was significantly related to higher interoceptive awareness but not to burnout. Interpersonal disengagement was rare and temporary. (4) Conclusions. Findings showed that the yoga-based meditation intervention was feasible and acceptable and associated with higher interoceptive awareness. The results point to a role for interoceptive awareness in reducing the risk for burnout.

Systematic Review of Mind–Body Modalities to Manage the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Era

“…On the full-text screening, fifteen non-clinical studies [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ], four non-intervention studies [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ], three generic studies [ 44 , 45 , 46 ], five studies not using MBMs [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], and one not presenting evaluation results [ 52 ] were excluded. Ultimately, this review included 18 studies [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ] ( Figure 1 ).…”

“…Among the included studies, 16 [ 53 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 68 , 69 , 70 ] were published articles and 2 [ 55 , 67 ] were conference abstracts. Researchers from nine countries conducted these studies, and the study conducted in the United States was the most common, with six studies [ 54 , 55 , 59 , 60 , 63 , 68 ], followed by India with three studies [ 56 , 57 , 69 ].…”

“…Among the included studies, 16 [ 53 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 68 , 69 , 70 ] were published articles and 2 [ 55 , 67 ] were conference abstracts. Researchers from nine countries conducted these studies, and the study conducted in the United States was the most common, with six studies [ 54 , 55 , 59 , 60 , 63 , 68 ], followed by India with three studies [ 56 , 57 , 69 ]. Among the included studies, five were RCTs [ 58 , 65 , 66 , 68 , 69 ], four were CCTs [ 57 , 59 , 62 , 70 ], and the remaining ten were before-after studies [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 60 , 61 , 63 , 64 , 67 ].…”

“…Researchers from nine countries conducted these studies, and the study conducted in the United States was the most common, with six studies [ 54 , 55 , 59 , 60 , 63 , 68 ], followed by India with three studies [ 56 , 57 , 69 ]. Among the included studies, five were RCTs [ 58 , 65 , 66 , 68 , 69 ], four were CCTs [ 57 , 59 , 62 , 70 ], and the remaining ten were before-after studies [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 60 , 61 , 63 , 64 , 67 ]. Except for one study [ 69 ], the types of HCWs in the included subjects were all described.…”

Therapeutic role of yoga in neuropsychological disorders

“…Furthermore, several clinical trials have suggested the promise of yoga intervention as an adjunct therapy for patients with OCD, who were unresponsive to conventional treatments[ 208 , 209 ]. Moreover, yoga training enhanced general satisfaction, improved work exhaustion, and led to greater work engagement and empathy among teachers[ 210 ], nurses[ 211 ], hospice professionals[ 212 ], and physicians[ 213 , 214 ], who were suffering from job burnout. Yoga can promote the psychological and physical well-being of subjects with burnout, particularly when combining it with other activities, such as art and music-therapy[ 215 , 216 ].…”