1 1720 91 PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF YOGA PRACTICE BY YOGA-NAIVE PERSONS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: UNDERSTANDING THE WAY NONEXERCISERS VIEW THE BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO PHYSICAL EXERCISE HELPS PROMOTE PHYSICAL EXERCISE. THIS STUDY REPORTS PERCEIVED BENEFITS AND NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF YOGA PERCEIVED BY YOGA-NAIVE PERSONS. METHODS: THE 2550 YOGA-NAIVE RESPONDENTS OF BOTH SEXES (M:F = 2162:388; GROUP MEAN AGE +/- SD 23.5 +/- 12.6 YEARS) PARTICIPATED IN A CONVENIENCE SAMPLING IN-PERSON SURVEY CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE PERCEIVED BENEFITS AND NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF YOGA. RESULTS: AMONG 2550 RESPONDENTS, 97.4% BELIEVED YOGA PRACTICE HAD BENEFITS. THE THREE MOST COMMON PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA WERE IMPROVEMENT IN (I) PHYSICAL HEALTH (39.8%), (II) COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS (32.8%), AND (III) MENTAL HEALTH (20.4%). AMONG THE RESPONDENTS, 1.4% BELIEVED THAT YOGA HAD NEGATIVE OUTCOMES. THE THREE MOST COMMON PERCEIVED NEGATIVE OUTCOMES WERE (I) APPREHENSION THAT WRONG METHODS MAY BE HARMFUL (0.24%), (II) APPREHENSION THAT EXCESSIVE PRACTICE MAY HARM (0.24%), AND (III) LAZINESS (0.12%). CONCLUSION: THE MOST COMMON PERCEIVED BENEFIT OF YOGA PRACTICE WAS "IMPROVEMENT IN PHYSICAL HEALTH," WITH "APPREHENSION THAT WRONG OR EXCESSIVE PRACTICE COULD BE HARMFUL" AS THE MOST COMMON PERCEIVED NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF YOGA. 2022 2 386 39 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 3 2696 33 YOGA INSTRUCTORS' REPORTED BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES ASSOCIATED WITH FUNCTIONING ONLINE: A CONVENIENCE SAMPLING SURVEY. BACKGROUND: AMONG NUMEROUS CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MOST YOGA CLASSES HAVE REPOSITIONED ONLINE. HOWEVER BENEFITS, DIFFICULTIES AND SATISFACTION OF TEACHING YOGA ONLINE REMAIN TO BE STUDIED. WITH THIS BACKGROUND THE PRESENT SURVEY AIMED TO DETERMINE: (I) BENEFITS, DISADVANTAGES AND SATISFACTION OF TEACHING YOGA ONLINE AND (II) THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO (A) SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC, (B) ONLINE YOGA TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND (C) YOGA PRACTICE. METHODS: THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE YOGA INSTRUCTORS WERE INVITED TO TAKE PART IN THE ONLINE SURVEY. OF THESE, 181 (M:F = 98:83) RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY SATISFACTORILY AND WERE INCLUDED. RESULTS: THE THREE MOST COMMON BENEFITS OF TEACHING YOGA ONLINE WERE: (I) A SENSE OF SAFETY FROM RISK OF COVID-19 (93.92%), (II) COST SAVING (82.87%) AND (III) WIDER ACCESS TO TRAINEES WITHIN INDIA (77.90%). THE THREE MOST COMMON DISADVANTAGES WERE: (I) TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES (74.03%), (II) MISSING IN-PERSON CONTACT (63.90%) AND (III) CONCERN THAT ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS CAN LEAD TO INJURY (59.16%). AROUND 66.30% RESPONDENTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE MONITORING OF TRAINEES DURING ONLINE YOGA CLASSES WHILE 70.16% RESPONDENTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL OF ATTENTION THEY COULD PAY TO THE TOPIC THEY WERE TEACHING DURING ONLINE YOGA CLASS. THE BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF TEACHING YOGA ONLINE VARIED WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA INSTRUCTORS (P < 0.05, CHI2 TEST). CONCLUSIONS: THE BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF TEACHING YOGA ONLINE ARE OF RELEVANCE DURING AND BEYOND THE PANDEMIC. CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO (I) SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHICS, (II) ONLINE YOGA TEACHING AND (III) YOGA PRACTICE INFLUENCE REPORTED BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF TEACHING YOGA ONLINE. 2022 4 586 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 5 1507 31 IS A YOGA-BASED PROGRAM WITH POTENTIAL TO DECREASE FALLS PERCEIVED TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO COMMUNITY-DWELLING PEOPLE OLDER THAN 60? OBJECTIVES AND IMPORTANCE OF STUDY: YOGA IMPROVES BALANCE AND MOBILITY, AND THEREFORE HAS POTENTIAL AS A FALL PREVENTION STRATEGY, YET ITS VALIDITY FOR PREVENTING FALLS HAS NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED. THE OTAGO EXERCISE PROGRAMME (OEP) AND TAI CHI ARE PROVEN TO PREVENT FALLS. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EVALUATE THE PERCEPTIONS AND PREFERENCES OF OLDER PEOPLE TOWARDS A YOGA-BASED PROGRAM WITH POTENTIAL TO DECREASE FALLS, TO COMPARE THESE PERCEPTIONS TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ABOUT THE OEP AND TAI CHI, AND TO IDENTIFY PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH A PREFERENCE FOR THE YOGA PROGRAM. STUDY TYPE: SURVEY. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS WERE 235 COMMUNITY-DWELLERS AGED 60 YEARS OR OLDER WHO WERE NOT PARTICIPATING OR HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED (WITHIN THE PAST 10 YEARS) IN YOGA-BASED EXERCISE. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A SELF-REPORT SURVEY MEASURING DEMOGRAPHICS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND ATTITUDE. THEY THEN VIEWED EXPLANATIONS OF THE YOGA-BASED PROGRAM, THE OEP AND TAI CHI. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE ATTITUDES TO FALLS-RELATED INTERVENTIONS SCALE (AFRIS) TO MEASURE PROGRAM ACCEPTABILITY AND IDENTIFIED THEIR PREFERRED PROGRAM. ACCEPTABILITY SCORES AND PREFERENCE WERE COMPARED BETWEEN THE PROGRAMS, AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PREFERENCE WERE IDENTIFIED WITH ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE. RESULTS: THE MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS (69% FEMALE) WAS 69.4 YEARS (STANDARD DEVIATION 7.4). ALL PROGRAMS WERE RATED AS EQUALLY ACCEPTABLE (P = 0.17), WITH AFRIS SCORES RANGING FROM 28.1 TO 29.4. EIGHTY-TWO PEOPLE (35%) PREFERRED YOGA, 32% CHOSE THE OEP AND 33% CHOSE TAI CHI. OVERALL, PEOPLE WHO PREFERRED YOGA WERE SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER, HEALTHIER, LESS FEARFUL OF FALLING, AND PERCEIVED EXERCISE MORE POSITIVELY THAN PEOPLE WHO PREFERRED THE OEP (P VALUES RANGED FROM 0.03 TO <0.001). THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WHO PREFERRED YOGA AND THOSE WHO PREFERRED TAI CHI DID NOT VARY SIGNIFICANTLY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA WAS PERCEIVED TO BE APPROPRIATE AND WAS AS POPULAR AS TWO VALIDATED FALL PREVENTION PROGRAMS. YOGA WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AS A FALL PREVENTION STRATEGY, PARTICULARLY FOR 'YOUNGER' AND HEALTHIER PEOPLE AGED 60 YEARS OR OLDER. 2018 6 1213 31 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 7 471 36 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS, MOTIVATORS, AND YOGA TECHNIQUES OF CHOICE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. BACKGROUND: THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS AND FACTORS MOTIVATING PEOPLE TO PRACTICE YOGA HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN THE US AND IN AUSTRALIA. THIS STUDY AIMED TO DETERMINE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA USERS IN INDIA, THE FACTORS THAT MOTIVATE THEM TO PRACTICE YOGA, AND THE YOGA TECHNIQUES OF CHOICE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE STUDY WAS A ONE-TIME, CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY BASED ON CONVENIENCE SAMPLING. INCLUSION CRITERIA WERE (A) A MINIMUM OF 1 WEEK EXPERIENCE OF YOGA AND (B) AT LEAST 10 YEARS OF AGE. 14,250 PEOPLE RECEIVED THE SURVEY. AFTER EXCLUDING THOSE WHO DID NOT MEET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA OR FILLED IN THE SURVEY INCOMPLETELY OR INCORRECTLY, 5,157 RESPONDENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. RESULTS: OUT OF 5,157 RESPONDENTS, THERE WERE MORE MALES (67.3%), AGED BETWEEN 21 AND 44 YEARS (33.7% OF THE SAMPLE SURVEYED), EDUCATED UP TO HIGH SCHOOL (62.5%), STUDENTS (39.3%), AND THOSE WHO HAD BETWEEN 1 AND 12 MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE IN YOGA (54.4%). THE FIRST MOST COMMON REASON TO PRACTICE YOGA FOR ALL RESPONDENTS WAS PHYSICAL FITNESS. THREE OF THE REMAINING REASONS TO PRACTICE YOGA DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH AGE: (I) YOGA FOR DISEASE MANAGEMENT (CHI(2) = 17.62, P < 0.005), (II) YOGA AS A HOBBY (CHI(2) = 10.87, P < 0.05), AND (III) YOGA BASED ON THE GURU'S (TEACHER'S) INSTRUCTIONS (CHI(2) = 20.05, P < 0.001). THE YOGA TECHNIQUE OF CHOICE [I.E., (I) ASANAS (CHI(2) = 23.17, P < 0.001), (II) PRANAYAMA (CHI(2) = 19.87, P < 0.001), OR (III) MEDITATION (CHI(2) = 9.64, P < 0.05)] DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS AGE GROUPS. CONCLUSION: IN INDIA, A YOGA PRACTITIONER WAS MORE LIKELY TO BE MALE, BETWEEN 21 AND 44 YEARS OF AGE, HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATED, AND A STUDENT. THE REASONS TO PRACTICE YOGA AND THE YOGA TECHNIQUE OF CHOICE DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH AGE. 2017 8 2236 24 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 9 2661 33 YOGA IN AUSTRALIA: RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY. INTRODUCTION: THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE WELL DOCUMENTED, YET LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN AUSTRALIA OR ELSEWHERE, WHETHER AS A PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, A FORM OF THERAPY, A SPIRITUAL PATH OR A LIFESTYLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TO INVESTIGATE THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN AUSTRALIA, A NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS WAS CONDUCTED UTILIZING A COMPREHENSIVE WEB-BASED QUESTIONNAIRE. RESPONDENTS WERE SELF-SELECTING TO PARTICIPATE. A TOTAL OF 3,892 RESPONDENTS COMPLETED THE SURVEY. SIXTY OVERSEAS RESPONDENTS AND 1265 YOGA TEACHERS (TO BE REPORTED SEPARATELY) WERE EXCLUDED, LEAVING 2,567 YOGA PRACTITIONER RESPONDENTS. RESULTS: THE TYPICAL YOGA SURVEY RESPONDENT WAS A 41-YEAR-OLD, TERTIARY EDUCATED, EMPLOYED, HEALTH-CONSCIOUS FEMALE (85% WOMEN). ASANA (POSTURES) AND VINYASA (SEQUENCES OF POSTURES) REPRESENTED 61% OF THE TIME SPENT PRACTICING, WITH THE OTHER 39% DEVOTED TO THE GENTLER PRACTICES OF RELAXATION, PRANAYAMA (BREATHING TECHNIQUES), MEDITATION AND INSTRUCTION. RESPONDENTS COMMONLY STARTED PRACTICING YOGA FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS BUT OFTEN CONTINUED PRACTICING FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT. ONE IN FIVE RESPONDENTS PRACTICED YOGA FOR A SPECIFIC HEALTH OR MEDICAL REASON WHICH WAS SEEN TO BE IMPROVED BY YOGA PRACTICE. OF THESE, MORE PEOPLE USED YOGA FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT AND ANXIETY THAN BACK, NECK OR SHOULDER PROBLEMS, SUGGESTING THAT MENTAL HEALTH MAY BE THE PRIMARY HEALTH-RELATED MOTIVATION FOR PRACTICING YOGA. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES WERE SEEN TO BE MORE PREVALENT IN RESPONDENTS WITH MORE YEARS OF PRACTICE. YOGA-RELATED INJURIES OCCURRING UNDER SUPERVISION IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS WERE LOW AT 2.4% OF RESPONDENTS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA PRACTICE WAS SEEN TO ASSIST IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SPECIFIC HEALTH ISSUES AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE MAY ALSO EXERT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EFFECT INCLUDING VEGETARIANISM, NON-SMOKING, REDUCED ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, INCREASED EXERCISE AND REDUCED STRESS WITH RESULTING COST BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY. 2012 10 1315 32 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