Medical care utilization and the transcendental meditation program.

Abstract

This field study compared 5 years of medical insurance utilization statistics of approximately 2000 regular participants in the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program with a normative data base of approximately 600,000 members of the same insurance carrier. The benefits, deductible, coinsurance terms, and distribution by gender of the TM group were very similar to the norm, yet the TM group had lower medical utilization rates in all categories. Inpatient days per 1000 by age category were 50.2% fewer than the norm for children (0-18), 50.1% fewer for young adults (19-39), and 69.4% fewer for older adults (40+). Outpatient visits per 1000 for the same age categories were, respectively, 46.8%, 54.7%, and 73.7% fewer. When compared with five other health insurance groups of similar size and professional membership, the TM group had 53.3% fewer inpatient admissions per 1000 and 44.4% fewer outpatient visits per 1000. Admissions per 1000 were lower for the TM group than the norm for all of 17 major medical treatment categories, including -55.4% for benign and malignant tumors -87.3% for heart disease, -30.4% for all infectious diseases, -30.6% for all mental disorders, and -87.3% for diseases of the nervous system. However, the TM group's admission rates for childbirth were similar to the norm. The issue of self-selection is addressed in terms of previous medical research in this area.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Patients

“…[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Pre liminary research on the Transcendental Meditation program, one of the most widely researched modalities for reducing psychosocial stress, [34][35][36] suggests reduced cancer mortality, reduced hospitalization for benign and cancerous tumors, and reduced hospital admission rates for all cancers. [37][38][39][40] However, there is a lack of research focused specifically on stress reduction in older women with breast cancer. We therefore undertook a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on QOL in older women.…”

Improvements in Chronic Diseases With a Comprehensive Natural Medicine Approach: A Review and Case Series

“…13 These approaches are said to encompass mental, physical, behavioral, and environmental health 7,9,14,15 Over the past 30 years, several hundred studies have been published on the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of individual treatment components of MVM, such as the Transcendental Meditation program and certain herbal preparations. 16,17 These studies suggest that specific approaches of MVM are associated with a lower risk of morbidity and mortality from chronic disorders. [16][17][18] However, recent consensus guidelines for research on complementary and alternative systems have recommended that traditional systems of medicine be studied in their intact form as clinically used (rather than as isolated components) for clinical efficacy and overall safety.…”

“…16,17 These studies suggest that specific approaches of MVM are associated with a lower risk of morbidity and mortality from chronic disorders. [16][17][18] However, recent consensus guidelines for research on complementary and alternative systems have recommended that traditional systems of medicine be studied in their intact form as clinically used (rather than as isolated components) for clinical efficacy and overall safety. 4,6,19 Indeed, synergistic effects among individual components are considered essential to the MVM approach to treatment and prevention of chronic diseases.…”

Unless We are Robots, Classical and Quantum Theories are Fundamentally Inadequate

“…[1][2][3][4][5]. These findings include improved performance on a wide range of measures of intelligence and academic performance, cognitive and memory processes, sensorimotor coordination and other physical behaviors as well as social skills; and also improved health as evidenced by healthcare utilization (OrmeJohnson & Barnes, 2013;Barnes & OrmeJohnson, 2012;Orme-Johnson, 2008;1997;1987). This research is corroborated generally by voluminous research in mind-body medicine and preventive healthcare.…”