Improving quality of life using compound mind-body therapies: evaluation of a course intervention with body movement and breath therapy, guided imagery, chakra experiencing and mindfulness meditation.

Fernros L, Furhoff AK, Wändell PE.

Karolinska Institutet/Stockholm County Council's Center for Family and Community Medicine, Huddinge, Sweden. lotta.fernros@sll.se

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Assess changes in quality of life and in sense of coherence (SOC), after an intervention involving a self-development course using mind-body medicine (MBM) activities.

DESIGN: A questionnaire study using a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument, the SWEDQUAL, with 13 subscales and scores ranging from 0 to 100, combined with the SOC-13 scale, healthcare utilisation, medication and sick listing data.

SETTING: A training centre for MBM. Eligible course attendants (study group, SG, n = 83) assessed their HRQOL before and 6 months after a 1-week course. A control group (CG) of individuals who had previously attended the course (n = 69), matched for age, sex and length of course time to the SG, also made assessments.

MAIN OUTCOME: Changes in HRQOL and SOC in SG and CG.

RESULTS: Of the 13 HRQOL subscales, eight showed clinically significant improvement in the SG (>9%, p <>

CONCLUSIONS: This group of men and women (SG), starting from a clinically significant low health assessment, had improved their HRQOL and SOC after the course intervention.

PMID: 18324479 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]