1 382 143 BELIEFS, ATTITUDES AND SELF-USE OF AYURVEDA, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA, AND HOMEOPATHY MEDICINES AMONG SENIOR PHARMACY STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY INSIGHT FROM ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA. OBJECTIVES: TO ASSESS THE BELIEFS, ATTITUDES AND SELF-USE OF AYURVEDA, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA, AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH) MEDICINES AMONG SENIOR PHARMACY STUDENTS. METHODOLOGY: THIS WAS A DESCRIPTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY CONDUCTED AMONG PHARMACY STUDENTS IN FOUR PHARMACY SCHOOLS LOCATED IN ANDHRA PRADESH IN SOUTH INDIA. THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED FROM THE AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER 2014. THE STUDY POPULATION INCLUDED ALL PHARMACY STUDENTS ENROLLED IN DOCTOR OF PHARMACY, BACHELOR OF PHARMACY AND DIPLOMA IN PHARMACY PROGRAMS IN STUDIED PHARMACY SCHOOLS. THE PRETESTED AYUSH SURVEY HAD 8 QUESTIONS ON AYUSH RELATED BELIEFS AND 8 QUESTION ON AYUSH RELATED ATTITUDES. THE SURVEY ALSO ASKED PARTICIPANTS ABOUT AYUSH RELATED KNOWLEDGE, FREQUENCY OF USE OF AYUSH AND THE REASON FOR USING AYUSH. THE DATA ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED USING SPSS VERSION 20. CHI-SQUARE TEST AND MANN-WHITNEY U-TEST WERE EMPLOYED TO STUDY THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 428 PHARMACY STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY. 32.2% OF THE STUDY POPULATION WAS FEMALES AND 32.5% OF THE POPULATION RESIDED IN RURAL AREAS. MALES WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE POSITIVE BELIEFS ABOUT AYUSH WHEN COMPARED TO FEMALES (ODD RATIO [OR] = 4.62, CONFIDENCE INTERVAL [CI] = 2.37-8.99, P < 0.001). SIMILARLY, STUDENTS LIVING IN HOSTELS WERE MORE POSITIVE IN THEIR BELIEFS ABOUT AYUSH COMPARED WITH STUDENTS LIVING AT HOME (OR = 2.14, CI = 1.12-4.07, P < 0.05). STUDENTS LIVING IN HOSTEL ALSO HAD A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT AYUSH USE (OR = 1.74, CI = 1.03-2.93, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PHARMACY STUDENTS HELD FAVORABLE ATTITUDE AND BELIEFS ABOUT AYUSH USE. THIS BASELINE SURVEY PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PHARMACY STUDENT'S PERCEPTION ABOUT AYUSH. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO EXPLORE THE REASONS THAT SHAPE THE PHARMACY STUDENT'S BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT AYUSH. 2014 2 1315 43 HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES WITH REGULAR YOGA AND HEARTFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM A MULTINATIONAL, CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. BACKGROUND: ALTHOUGH THE BENEFITS OF YOGA ARE WELL ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE WORLD, THERE ARE LIMITED STUDIES EXPLORING THE LONG-TERM INTERRELATION BETWEEN YOGA, MEDITATION, AND HEALTH. SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS LIMITED RESEARCH EXPLORING THE DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) AMONG REGULAR MEDITATORS AND NONMEDITATORS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY EXPLORED THE DIFFERENCES IN 7 DOMAINS OF HRQOL (INCLUDING QUALITY OF LIFE, ABILITY TO ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, ABILITY TO RELAX, FREQUENCY OF NERVOUSNESS AND STRESS, COPING WITH DAY-TO-DAY STRESS, WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY, AND STAYING HEALTHY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC) AMONG PRACTITIONERS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION. METHODS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL, ONLINE SURVEY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN A 100-DAY YOGA AND MEDITATION PROGRAM, CULMINATING IN THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA EVENT, ORGANIZED BY THE HEARTFULNESS INSTITUTE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH IN YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, MINISTRY OF AYUSH, SVYASA YOGA UNIVERSITY, AND PATANJALI YOGA INSTITUTE, INDIA. THE PROGRAM CONSISTED OF DAILY VIRTUAL YOGA, MEDITATION, AND SPEAKER SESSIONS. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED BY NONPARAMETRIC MANN-WHITNEY U TEST AND KRUSKAL-WALLIS TESTS FOR CONTINUOUS VARIABLES AND CHI-SQUARE TEST FOR CATEGORICAL VARIABLES. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 3164 PARTICIPANTS FROM 39 COUNTRIES COMPLETED THE SURVEY. MEAN AGE WAS 33.8 (SD 13.6) YEARS. THE MAJORITY OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE FEMALE (N=1643, 52%) AND STUDENTS (N=1312, 41.5%). REGULAR YOGA AND MEDITATION PRACTICE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON ALL 7 DOMAINS OF HRQOL (MANN-WHITNEY P<.05 AND CHI(2)P<.05). NOTABLY, EXPERIENCED HEARTFULNESS (>/=2 YEARS) MEDITATORS REPORTED BETTER OUTCOMES IN ALL THE DOMAINS OF HRQOL AS COMPARED TO THOSE NOT CURRENTLY PRACTICING THIS FORM OF MEDITATION AND PARTICIPANTS WITH NOT MARRIED/IN RELATIONSHIP), HIGHER HEALTH RELATED HARDINESS, AND HIGHER EDUCATION, WHEREAS OBESITY, AND DIABETES DECREASED LIKELIHOOD OF USE. WHILE THE MAJORITY FOUND YOGA AND MEDITATION HELPFUL FOR THEIR CONDITION, THE USE WAS RARELY MONITORED BY OR DISCUSSED WITH HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS. CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY FINDS THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE USED BY MIDDLE-TO-HIGHER AGED AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IS CONCERNING AND MIGHT HINDER COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE AROUND CHRONIC ILLNESS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO HELP UNDERSTAND POSSIBLE CONCURRENT HEALTH CARE USE AND THEREBY HELP INFORM SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATE HEALTH SEEKING AMONGST THOSE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS. 2019 11 1349 39 IF WE OFFER, WILL THEY COME: PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA AMONG HISPANICS. OBJECTIVE: YOGA IS UNDERUTILIZED BY THE HISPANICS. THIS STUDY EXAMINED PERCEPTIONS OF BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO YOGA AMONG HISPANIC ADULTS, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT MAY INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PRACTICE. SETTING: PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED FROM A COMMUNITY CENTER SERVING LOW-INCOME HISPANICS. DESIGN: SELF-ADMINISTERED CROSS-SECTIONAL QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO YOGA WERE CONDUCTED IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. FISHER'S EXACT TEST WAS USED TO EXAMINE PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA BY GENDER, AGE, AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS (AGES 18-85, 65 % WOMEN, N = 121) REPORTED SEVERAL BENEFITS TO YOGA. HISPANIC WOMEN, INDIVIDUALS 65 Y OR OLDER, AND THOSE WITH PRIOR EXPERIENCE, PERCEIVED MORE BENEFITS. BARRIERS TO YOGA ALSO DIFFERED BY DEMOGRAPHICS. MEN REPORTED THAT TIME AND THE PERCEPTION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO UNREALISTIC PRETZEL-LIKE POSES AS DETERRENTS TO YOGA PRACTICE; YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS PERCEIVED YOGA TO BE BORING, AND THOSE WITH NO EXPERIENCE PERCEIVED LACK OF FLEXIBILITY AND FEELING LIKE AN OUTSIDER IN CLASS, AS BARRIERS TO YOGA. THE MOST COMMON BARRIER, ACROSS SUBGROUPS, WAS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PRACTICE. THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BEING WILLING TO ATTEND YOGA CLASSES IF OFFERED AT A LOW COST. CONCLUSION: PERCEIVED BARRIERS RELATED TO YOGA REFLECT A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT YOGA AND WHAT IT ENTAILS AND THE COST OF CLASSES. DESPITE THESE BARRIERS, HISPANIC ADULTS FROM A LOW-INCOME POPULATION SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO ATTEND YOGA CLASSES IF OFFERED AT A LOW COST. UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THESE BARRIERS CAN HELP RESEARCHERS AND HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN YOGA CLASSES AND RESEARCH. 2021 12 386 28 BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PRACTICE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY FROM INDIA. OBJECTIVE: BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF YOGA WERE REPORTED IN SURVEYS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THE PRESENT STUDY AIMED TO (I) DETERMINE THE BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN YOGA EXPERIENCED PERSONS IN INDIA AND (II) CORRELATE THESE EFFECTS OF YOGA WITH FACTORS RELATED TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR YOGA PRACTICE. DESIGN AND SETTING: THIS CONVENIENCE SAMPLING IN-PERSON SURVEY REPORTS BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN 3135 YOGA EXPERIENCED PERSONS. RESULTS: THE BENEFITS OF YOGA WERE REPORTED BY 94.5 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS. THE THREE MOST COMMON BENEFITS WERE IMPROVEMENT IN: (I) PHYSICAL FITNESS, (II) MENTAL STATE AND (III) COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS. AN ADVERSE EFFECT OF YOGA WAS REPORTED BY 1.9 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS. THE THREE MOST COMMON ADVERSE EFFECTS REPORTED WERE: (I) SORENESS AND PAIN, (II) MUSCLE INJURIES AND (III) FATIGUE. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION (IN ALL CASES P < 0.05 CHI SQUARE TEST; CRAMER'S V > 0.10) WITH REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA: (I) EXPERIENCE OF YOGA IN MONTHS, (II) TIME SPENT PRACTICING YOGA IN A WEEK, (III) NUMBER OF YOGA TECHNIQUES PRACTICED, AND (IV) WHETHER AWARENESS WAS MAINTAINED DURING THE YOGA PRACTICE OR NOT. CONCLUSION: BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE TO PHYSICAL HEALTH WERE THE MOST COMMON, WITH SORENESS AND PAIN THE MOST COMMON ADVERSE EFFECT OF YOGA. YOGA PRACTICE RELATED FACTORS INFLUENCE THE BENEFITS OF YOGA. 2021 13 2586 33 YOGA FOR HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS: A STUDY ON BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN PRIMARY CARE. BACKGROUND: INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR HYPERTENSION TREATMENT RECOMMEND THE USE OF YOGA, PARTICULARLY AMONG LOW-RISK PATIENTS. HOWEVER, EVIDENCE IS LACKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION POTENTIAL OF HEALTH-WORKER-LED YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN LOW-RESOURCE, PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS. OBJECTIVE: TO ASSESS BARRIERS TO AND FACILITATORS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN PRIMARY CARE IN NEPAL. METHODS: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED USING FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS, IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS, AND TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS. DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THE 'YOGA AND HYPERTENSION' (YOH) TRIAL PARTICIPANTS, YOH INTERVENTION IMPLEMENTERS, AND OFFICIALS FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND POPULATION IN NEPAL. RESULTS: MOST YOH TRIAL PARTICIPANTS STATED THAT: (1) IT WAS EASY TO LEARN YOGA DURING A FIVE-DAY TRAINING PERIOD AND PRACTISE IT FOR THREE MONTHS AT HOME; (2) PRACTISING YOGA IMPROVED THEIR HEALTH; AND (3) GROUP YOGA SESSIONS IN A COMMUNITY CENTRE WOULD HELP THEM PRACTISE YOGA MORE REGULARLY. MOST YOH INTERVENTION IMPLEMENTERS STATED THAT: (1) THEY WERE HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO IMPLEMENT THE INTERVENTION; (2) THE COST OF IMPLEMENTATION WAS ACCEPTABLE; (3) THEY DID NOT NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE INTERVENTION; (4) PROVIDING REMUNERATION TO THE STAFF INVOLVED IN THE INTERVENTION WOULD INCREASE THEIR MOTIVATION; AND (5) THE YOGA PROGRAMME WAS 'SIMPLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW' AND 'EASILY PERFORMED BY PARTICIPANTS OF ANY AGE'. THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS STATED THAT: (1) YOGA IS CONSIDERED AS A KEY HEALTH PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY IN NEPAL; AND (2) THE INTEGRATION OF THE YOGA INTERVENTION INTO THE EXISTING HEALTH CARE PROGRAMME WOULD NOT BE TOO CHALLENGING, BECAUSE THE EXISTING PERSONNEL AND OTHER RESOURCES CAN BE UTILISED. CONCLUSION: WHILE THERE IS A GOOD POTENTIAL THAT A YOGA INTERVENTION CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN PRIMARY CARE, CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTH WORKERS AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY YOGA CENTRES IN THE DELIVERY OF THE INTERVENTIONS MAY BE REQUIRED TO FACILITATE THIS IMPLEMENTATION. 2021 14 1719 37 PERCEIVED USEFULNESS OF YOGA TO MAINTAIN WELL-BEING AND IN RELATION TO COVID-19 CASES AMONG HUNGARIAN YOGA PRACTITIONERS. BACKGROUND: THE PRESENT COVID-19 EPIDEMIC HAS HAD A CONSIDERABLE IMPACT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS WORLDWIDE. RESEARCH PROJECTS SUGGESTS POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE FOR PREVENTION, OR AS MEDICAL SUPPLEMENTATION IN RELATION TO THE PRESENT PANDEMIC. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN YOGA AND HEALTH STATUS, AND HOW THE FREQUENCY OF YOGA PRACTICE AFFECTED THE MENTAL WELL-BEING (MWB) OF THE RESPONDENTS. METHODS: HUNGARIAN YOGA PRACTITIONERS (N=379) AGED 20 TO 75 YEARS (93.4% FEMALE) WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH, PERCEIVED USEFULNESS OF YOGA PRACTICE FOR COVID-19 CASES AND THEIR MWB. DATA WERE COLLECTED BETWEEN APRIL 17 AND MAY 17, 2021. THE MEASUREMENT TOOL USED WAS AN ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE INCLUDING SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC DATA, CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PRACTICE, COVID-19 AND HEALTH RELATED QUESTIONS, AND WHO WELL-BEING INDEX (WBI-5). ASSOCIATIONS WERE EXAMINED THROUGH ANOVA AND CHI-SQUARE TESTS. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE AMONG THE YOGA PRACTICE GROUPS BY WEEKLY FREQUENCY (ONCE A WEEK, 2-3 TIMES A WEEK, 4-5 TIMES A WEEK, DAILY) ON THE TOTAL MEAN SCORE OF WELL-BEING (WBI-5), F (3, 373) = 12.97, P < 0.001, ETAP 2 = 0.094. THE DAILY PRACTICE OF YOGA SHOWED THE HIGHEST MWB. CONCLUSIONS: ACCORDING TO OUR FINDINGS, IT CAN BE STATED THAT REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER LEVEL OF MWB WHICH CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN DEALING WITH COVID-19 ISSUES SUCH AS STRESS AND DEPRESSION. 2022 15 2236 30 THE IMPACT OF YOGA UPON YOUNG ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS. THIS STUDY EXPLORED THE USE OF YOGA BY USING A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF 286 YOUNG ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS. THE AIM WAS TO EXPLORE YOGA PRACTICE, REASONS FOR USING THIS THERAPY; PREDICTORS OF YOGA USE AND ANY POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA USE AND WELL-BEING. NINETY ONE PARTICIPANTS (32.82%) REPORTED PRACTICING YOGA FROM THEIR INITIAL DIAGNOSIS. PRACTITIONERS REPORTED A RELATIVELY HIGH INTENSITY (MEAN: 7.46 H/MONTH) AND LENGTH (25.88 MONTHS) OF PRACTICE. THE MOST COMMON REASONS GIVEN FOR UNDERTAKING YOGA WERE TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY AND PROMOTE RELAXATION. SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF YOGA USE INCLUDED GENDER, HIGHER EDUCATION WITH INCREASED YOGA USE GENERALLY RELATED TO ENHANCED FEELINGS OF WELL-BEING. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA USE IS MORE COMMONLY USED BY CANCER SURVIVORS WITH GREATER RESOURCES. UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT THE USE OF YOGA BY CANCER SURVIVORS MAY FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS. 2013 16 1712 26 PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA AMONG URBAN SCHOOL STUDENTS: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS. THIS STUDY REPORTS ON THE FINDINGS OF A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF A YOGA INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR URBAN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. SIX FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YEAR-LONG YOGA PROGRAM TO DETERMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES. RESULTS SHOW THAT STUDENTS PERCEIVED THE BENEFITS OF YOGA AS INCREASED SELF-REGULATION, MINDFULNESS, SELF-ESTEEM, PHYSICAL CONDITIONING, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND STRESS REDUCTION. BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES FOR A YOGA PRACTICE INCLUDE LACK OF TIME AND SPACE. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE BENEFITS EXPERIENCED ARE INTERRELATED TO ONE ANOTHER IS DISCUSSED. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMING ARE ALSO OFFERED. 2016 17 2384 28 YOGA - A LABORIOUS WAY TO WELL-BEING: PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT FOR HYPERTENSION IN PRIMARY CARE. OBJECTIVE: THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO DESCRIBE PATIENTS' EXPERIENCE OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT FOR HYPERTENSION, AS WELL AS THEIR EXPERIENCE OF LIVING WITH HYPERTENSION. DESIGN: QUALITATIVE INTERVIEW STUDY METHOD AND MATERIALS: IN 2013-2014, IN SOUTHERN SWEDEN, PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION FROM THREE HEALTH CARE CENTRES WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL ON YOGA FOR HYPERTENSION. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE STUDY, EIGHT WOMEN AND FIVE MEN (AGED 35-79), WHO HAD PRACTICED THE YOGA INTERVENTION, WERE INTERVIEWED ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. WE USED A SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW GUIDE ACCORDING TO KVALE. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED BY SYSTEMATIC TEXT CONDENSATION INSPIRED BY MALTERUD. RESULTS: TWO MAIN THEMES EMERGED DURING THE ANALYSIS PROCESS: YOGA - A LABORIOUS WAY TO WELL-BEING AND HYPERTENSION - A SILENT DISEASE. THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES OF DOING YOGA WERE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF TRANQUILLITY AND INCREASED AGILITY. THE DRAWBACKS WERE MAINLY LINKED TO THE TIME REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE EXERCISES. LIVING WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HAVING TO TAKE MEDICATION CAN IMPLY A STIGMA AND CAUSE CONCERNS FOR FUTURE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS. MOST PATIENTS THAT WE INTERVIEWED EXPRESSED A WISH TO FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO TREAT THEIR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. PARTICIPATING IN THE YOGA STUDY WAS SEEN AS A GOOD POSSIBILITY TO TRY SUCH AN ALTERNATIVE WAY. CONCLUSIONS: MANY PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION IN SWEDISH PRIMARY CARE SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN TRYING ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS TO CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE. THE PATIENTS IN OUR STUDY EXPERIENCED SEVERAL BENEFITS FROM DOING YOGA, BUT THEY ALSO POINTED OUT DIFFICULTIES IN IMPLEMENTING YOGA AS A REGULAR AND PERMANENT LIFESTYLE CHANGE. 2017 18 586 29 DETERMINANTS OF MAINTAINING A DAILY YOGA PRACTICE: HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL AND SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY PERSPECTIVE. BACKGROUND: DESPITE THE GROWING EVIDENCE OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF A YOGA PRACTICE, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ITS SUSTAINED PRACTICE. AIMS: THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT STUDY WERE TWOFOLD: (1) TO DESCRIBE THE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS (AGE, EDUCATION LEVEL, AND MARITAL STATUS) AND YOGA ASANA-RELATED BEHAVIOR OF PARTICIPANTS WHO PRACTICE ASHTANGA AND (2) TO EXAMINE THE HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL (HLOC) (AN INDIVIDUAL'S BELIEFS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF CONTROL THAT THEY HAVE OVER THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO THEM) AND SELF-DETERMINATION THEORIES. (PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO BECOME SELF-DETERMINED WHEN THEIR NEEDS FOR COMPETENCE, CONNECTION, AND AUTONOMY ARE FULFILLED IN RELATION TO THE MOTIVATED BEHAVIOR.). METHODS: ASHTANGA YOGA PRACTITIONERS (N = 100, AGE RANGE: 20-62 YEARS) REPORTED PRACTICING YOGA AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK COMPLETED SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES: DEMOGRAPHICS, ASANA PRACTICE, THE PERCEIVED CHOICE AND AWARENESS OF SELF SCALE, HLOC, THE GENERAL HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE-12, THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, AND THE STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY. RESULTS: IT WAS OBSERVED THAT PARTICIPANTS PRACTICED YOGA FOR AN AVERAGE 6.43 YEARS, 5 DAYS A WEEK FOR 93 MIN REPRESENTING A SUSTAINED, MOTIVATED HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOR. YEARS OF PRACTICE AND PERCENTAGE OF TIME SPENT IN HOME PRACTICE EXPLAIN 9% OF THE VARIANCE IN THE AWARENESS OF SELF, AND 7% IS EXPLAINED BY THE NUMBER OF PRACTICE DAYS A WEEK AND STATE ANXIETY. ASHTANGA YOGA PRACTITIONERS HAVE A HIGH INTERNAL HLOC; THIS IS RELATED TO REDUCED TRAIT ANXIETY AND INCREASED PERCEIVED CHOICE. CONCLUSIONS: THE MYSORE SYSTEM OF YOGA APPEARS TO FACILITATE SUSTAINED HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOR; IT IS SUGGESTED THAT HEALTH PROMOTION SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE THREE ASPECTS OF SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY: COMPETENCE, AUTONOMY, AND RELATEDNESS, WHILE FOCUSING ON THE INCREASING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION AND INTERNALIZING HLOC. 2020 19 1213 32 EXPLORING PERCEIVED BENEFITS, MOTIVES, BARRIERS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRESCRIBING YOGA EXERCISES AS A NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY FROM PALESTINE. OBJECTIVES: YOGA IS BELIEVED TO PLAY A ROLE IN STABILIZING THE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM AND THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, THUS MIGHT HELP CONTROL SEIZURES IN PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY (PWE). THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO EXPLORE EXPERIENCES OF PALESTINIAN PWE WITH REGARD TO BENEFITS, MOTIVES, BARRIERS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF PRESCRIBING YOGA EXERCISES AS A NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION. METHODS: PURPOSIVE AND SNOWBALL SAMPLING TECHNIQUES WERE USED TO RECRUIT PWE WHO PRACTICED YOGA. SEMI-STRUCTURED IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS (N=18) WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS. THE INTERPRETIVE DESCRIPTION METHOD WAS USED TO QUALITATIVELY ANALYZE THE DATA COLLECTED DURING THE INTERVIEWS. RESULTS: FOLLOWING THE THEMATIC ANALYSIS ADOPTED FOR THIS STUDY, FOUR MAJOR THEMES EMERGED. THESE THEMES WERE AS FOLLOWS: PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA, MOTIVES TO PRACTICE YOGA, BARRIERS TO PRACTICE YOGA, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON EFFECTIVE YOGA PRACTICE FOR PWE. THE PERCEIVED BENEFITS INCLUDED IMPROVEMENTS IN MANAGEMENT OF SEIZURES, PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING. PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY WERE MOTIVATED BY THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA. BARRIERS OF ADHERENCE TO PRACTICE INCLUDED PERSONAL AND LOGISTIC FACTORS. THE INTERVIEWEES RECOMMENDED TAILORING YOGA SESSIONS TO THE NEEDS OF PWE. CONCLUSION: THIS EXPLORATIVE QUALITATIVE STUDY REPORTED PERCEIVED BENEFITS, MOTIVES, BARRIERS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF YOGA AS A NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION FOR PWE. PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY USED YOGA AS A BENEFICIAL NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND REDUCE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF EPILEPSY ON THEIR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING. FUTURE STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO INVESTIGATE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA WHEN SESSIONS ARE TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF PWE. 2020 20 1802 35 PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF YOGIC BREATHING AND MEDITATION USE - A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY OF US ADULT YOGA PRACTITIONERS. INTRODUCTION: YOGA PRACTICE IN COMMON USAGE IS OFTEN CONFINED TO THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE USE OF TWO ADDITIONAL ASPECTS OF YOGA AS PART OF YOGA PRACTICE, I.E. YOGIC BREATHING AND MEDITATION (YOBAM). PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF YOBAM USE AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS IN THE US GENERAL POPULATION WERE ANALYZED. METHOD: CROSS-SECTIONAL DATA FROM THE 2012 AND 2017 NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY (NHIS) (N = 61,267) WAS USED. 12-MONTH PREVALENCE OF YOGA USE AND YOBAM USE AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS WERE ANALYZED DESCRIPTIVELY FOR THE TWO COHORTS RESPECTIVELY. LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSES WERE USED TO ANALYZE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH-RELATED PREDICTORS OF YOBAM USE AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS. RESULTS: 12-MONTH PREVALENCE OF YOGA USE AND YOBAM USE WERE 8.9 % AND 4.8 % RESPECTIVELY IN 2012. IN 2017, 13.3 % HAD PRACTICED YOGA IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS AND 7.0 % HAD USED YOBAM. YOGA PRACTITIONERS AGED BETWEEN 50 AND 64 COMPARED TO BEING 29 OR YOUNGER, FEMALES, HISPANICS AND THOSE EXPERIENCING MILD TO SEVERE FORMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS WERE MORE LIKELY TO USE YOBAM AS PART OF THEIR YOGA PRACTICE. YOGA PRACTITIONERS LIVING IN THE MIDWEST OR IN A RELATIONSHIP WERE LESS LIKELY TO USE YOBAM. CONCLUSION: IN RECENT YEARS, THE NUMBER OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS IN THE US GENERAL POPULATION HAS CONSIDERABLY INCREASED AND YOBAM USE IS COMMON AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS. YOBAM USE SEEMS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AGE, GENDER, ETHNICITY, REGION, MARITAL STATUS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS DIMENSIONS. 2021