Mindfulness-based therapy for people living with HIV
Abstract
Key take-home messages
- Findings from five systematic reviews evaluating mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) — specifically mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) — have found beneficial effects on mental health status including depression, depressive relapse, anxiety, distress and mood symptoms.
- Several single studies (small randomized controlled trials and pilot studies) have found that MBSR programs have small to moderate effects in reducing stress and anxiety and in stabilizing or improving CD4 counts in people living with HIV.
- MBSR has also been found to contribute to positive results in enhancing the perception of available social support and self-reported well-being among participants.
- MBCT has also been found to increase momentary positive emotions and teach patients with long-term history of depressive symptoms to capitalize on the natural rewards in day to day life.
Authors
The Ontario HIV Treatment Network: Rapid Response Service
Year
2012
Topics
- Determinants of Health
- Social support
- Population(s)
- General HIV+ population
- Mental Health
- Depression
- Psychiatric disorders
- Co-morbidities
- Cancer
