Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
3-12-2025
Journal
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
Abstract
Background: Chronic pain affects over 25% of U.S. adults and is a leading cause of disability. Mindfulness meditation (MM) is a nonpharmacologic approach to manage pain and improve well-being. Despite mounting evidence supporting its efficacy, MM remains underutilized in medical practice. Understanding physicians' engagement with MM and the barriers they face can inform strategies for integration into clinical care. This study assessed physicians' attitudes toward MM, including barriers to practice and their likelihood of recommending it to patients.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of U.S. physicians was conducted from April to July 2024. Participants provided information on demographics, health struggles, and meditation practices and completed the Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory-Revised to evaluate barriers.
Results: Of 171 respondents, 37.4% meditated weekly, primarily for stress relief. Regular meditators were significantly more likely to recommend MM to patients (90.6%) compared to past (75%) or non-meditators (46.8%; P < .0001). Common barriers included time constraints (50.9%) and prioritizing other tasks (51.5%). Non- and past meditators reported low perceived benefits and inadequate knowledge (P ≤ .0001).
Conclusion: Physicians' engagement with MM influences their likelihood of recommending it. Addressing barriers through education, training, and promoting brief practices could enhance MM adoption and integration into clinical care.
Keywords
meditation, clinical practice, survey, burnout
DOI
10.1177/15598276251323850
PMID
40092531
PMCID
PMC11907502
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
3-12-2025
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Included in
Biomedical Informatics Commons, Medical Education Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Mental and Social Health Commons
