The use of mindful breathing as part of the healthcare intake process

Authors

Deena Chanowitz, University of VermontFollow
Lauren Struck, University of Vermont

Files

Date

2020

Abstract

Most Americans visit the doctor’s office for an acute or chronic condition or for preventative care. No matter what the reason, a visit to the doctor’s office can be stressful for a patient. Our study was designed to determine whether a patient’s experience of the visit can be improved using a mindful breathing exercise. We developed a system for teaching a two minute breathing exercise, with a brief questionnaire to evaluate how the patient feels before and after the intervention. We presented our study design to practitioners in primary care offices in VT and CT who were receptive to the idea of including a form of mindfulness in their primary care office visits.

Clinical Site

Ridgefield Primary Care, CT; Colchester Family Practice, VT

Keywords

Mindfulness, Breathing, Meditation, White coat syndrome, Generalized anxiety, Patient Experience, Parasympathetic, Nervous System, Variable Heart Rate, Vagus Nerve, Respiratory Rate

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Disciplines

Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Medical Education | Primary Care | Public Health | Public Health Education and Promotion | Women's Health

Recommended Citation

Chanowitz, Deena and Struck, Lauren, "The use of mindful breathing as part of the healthcare intake process" (2020). Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects. 617.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/617