1 1774 133 PRACTICE AND ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN INDIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IS BENEFICIAL DURING PREGNANCY, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT PROPORTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN INDIA PRACTICE YOGA. TO ADDRESS THIS RESEARCH GAP, WE CONDUCTED A STUDY TO ADDRESS FOLLOWING RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) WHAT PROPORTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN RURAL MAHARASHTRA PRACTICE YOGA? (2) WHICH SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRACTICE OF YOGA AMONG THESE WOMEN? AND (3) WHAT IS THE PERCEIVED ACCEPTABILITY OF INTEGRATING YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION INTO ROUTINE ANTENATAL CARE? A CONSECUTIVE SAMPLE OF PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING THE ANTENATAL CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, WHO COULD FLUENTLY COMMUNICATE IN MARATHI AND WHO DID NOT HAVE ANY SERIOUS PHYSICAL ILLNESS OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, WERE INCLUDED IN THIS CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. A TOTAL OF 228 SUBJECTS WERE INCLUDED IN OUR STUDY. YOGA WAS PRACTICED BY 38 OF THEM (16.7%, 95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL 12.1-22.1) DURING THE CURRENT PREGNANCY. OLDER AGE, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND BEING A PROFESSIONAL (TEACHER, HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, OR BANK OFFICIAL) WERE ASSOCIATED WITH PRACTICE OF YOGA. MORE THAN HALF OF THE PARTICIPANTS (53.9%) THOUGHT THAT YOGA SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THEIR ANTENATAL CARE; THIS PERCEIVED ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS EXCEPT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS' OCCUPATION. THIS STUDY PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE PREVALENCE AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRACTICE OF YOGA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN A RURAL SETTING IN INDIA. IT ALSO EXPLORES THE PERCEIVED ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS AMONG THIS GROUP. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY CAN INFORM DESIGN OF FUTURE STUDIES TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS DURING PREGNANCY. 2021 2 386 31 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 2586 44 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 4 1512 26 IS THERE MORE TO YOGA THAN EXERCISE? CONTEXT: YOGA IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION PRACTITIONERS IN THE UNITED STATES, YET THERE IS A DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL DATA ADDRESSING THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF AN EXERCISE-BASED YOGA PRACTICE TO THAT OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PRACTICE (ONE WITH AN ETHICAL/SPIRITUAL COMPONENT). DESIGN: STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR STRESS AND WHO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: INTEGRATED YOGA, YOGA AS EXERCISE, CONTROL. PARTICIPANTS: A TOTAL OF 81 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, HOPE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL. RESULTS: OVER TIME, PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE INTEGRATED AND EXERCISE YOGA GROUPS EXPERIENCED DECREASED DEPRESSION AND STRESS, AN INCREASED SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS, AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INTEGRATED YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED DECREASED ANXIETY-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED SALIVARY CORTISOL FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA, PRACTICED IN A MORE INTEGRATED FORM, IE, WITH AN ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPONENT, MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OVER YOGA PRACTICED AS AN EXERCISE REGIMEN. 2011 5 1151 47 ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY: A PILOT STUDY ON WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES WITH INTEGRATING YOGA INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE. INTRODUCTION: HEALTH GUIDELINES SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YET RARELY DO THEY MEET THESE GUIDELINES. MEANS TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN ARE REQUIRED, AND YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A POSSIBLE METHOD TO ENHANCE WOMEN'S SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN THIS PILOT STUDY, OUR PRIMARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE PREGNANT WOMEN'S PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AN INTERVENTION WHICH INTEGRATES A LOW-INTENSITY FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YOGA, INTO PRENATAL CARE; OUR SECONDARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE CHANGES IN PARTICIPANTS' SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. METHODS: HELD IN AN OUTPATIENT OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT OF AN URBAN HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS PILOT STUDY ENROLLED 16 PREGNANT WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVENTION THROUGHOUT THEIR PREGNANCY. WE EXPLORED PARTICIPANTS' LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERVENTION USING QUALITATIVE METHODS (PHENOMENOLOGY). MEANS, VARIANCES, AND COVARIANCES WERE CALCULATED FOR THE 2 MEASURES (SELF-EFFICACY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY) OVER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. RESULTS: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM FOCUS GROUPS SUGGEST THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR PRENATAL YOGA TO BE INTEGRATED INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE CLASSES AND WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY. PARTICIPANTS DID NOT CONSIDER THE INTERVENTION TO FIT WITHIN THE TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF EXERCISE. WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED AMOUNTS OF TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM BASELINE TO THE END OF PREGNANCY, BUT THERE WERE NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN SELF-EFFICACY OVER TIME. DISCUSSION: THE INTEGRATION OF GENTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO THE GROUP PRENATAL CARE MODEL WARRANTS FURTHER ATTENTION FOR POTENTIAL BENEFITS WITH REGARD TO MATERNAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS. 2019 6 472 41 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PROVIDERS AND THEIR SESSIONS AND ATTENDEES IN THE UK: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. YOGA IS AN ANCIENT INDIAN PHILOSOPHY AND WAY OF LIFE THAT IS BEING USED AS A METHOD OF IMPROVING HEALTH AND WELLBEING. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT YOGA HAS SEVERAL HEALTH BENEFITS, SUCH AS MANAGING MANY NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES, SUCH AS HYPERTENSION, AND IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH. THE POPULARITY OF YOGA IS GROWING IN THE UK, BUT IT IS MOSTLY UNREGULATED WITH LITTLE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT YOGA PROVIDERS AND THEIR SESSIONS AND ATTENDEES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXPLORE WHO IS PROVIDING YOGA; WHAT SESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE, WHERE, AND AT WHAT COST; AND WHO ATTENDS THESE SESSIONS IN THE UK AND WHETHER YOGA PROVIDERS WERE AWARE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS IN THEIR SESSIONS. A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY WAS UNDERTAKEN AMONG YOGA PROVIDERS IN THE UK. THEY WERE APPROACHED THROUGH FOUR MAJOR UK YOGA ASSOCIATIONS. IN TOTAL, 407 YOGA PROVIDERS PARTICIPATED. MOST PROVIDERS WERE AGED 45-64 YEARS (69%), FEMALE (93%), AND WHITE (93%). THE MEDIAN NUMBER OF GROUP SESSIONS AND ONE-TO-ONE SESSIONS DELIVERED PER WEEK WAS FOUR AND TWO, RESPECTIVELY. THE MOST COMMON STYLES WERE HATHA (28%), IYENGAR (26%), AND VINYASA (15%). SESSIONS HAD A VARYING EMPHASIS ON DIFFERENT YOGIC PRACTICES, BUT 59% OF PROVIDERS ALLOCATED MOST TIME TO YOGIC POSES (ASANA), 18% TO BREATHING PRACTICES (PRANAYAMA), AND 12% TO MEDITATION (DHYANA) AND RELAXATION PRACTICES. MOST (73%) REPORTED THAT THEIR ATTENDEES DISCLOSED THEIR HEALTH CONDITIONS TO THEM, MOST COMMONLY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES (41%), HYPERTENSION (25%), AND HEART DISEASES (9%). THIS STUDY SHOWED THAT YOGA SESSIONS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN THE UK, OFTEN PROVIDED AND PRACTICED BY WOMEN, AND CONCENTRATE ON YOGIC POSES. SESSIONS CONCENTRATE ON THE ASANA AND TEND NOT TO INCLUDE MANY OF THE MORE HOLISTIC ASPECTS OF YOGA THAT ARE PRACTICED IN SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES. YOGA PROVIDERS ARE OFTEN AWARE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS BUT MAY BENEFIT FROM TRAINING TO DELIVER SESSIONS SUITABLE FOR SPECIFIC HEALTH CONDITIONS. 2022 7 1206 45 EXPERIENCES OF PREGNANT WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN ANTENATAL YOGA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. CONTEXT: PREGNANCY YOGA IS A MODIFIED VERSION OF YOGA FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, AND IT AIMS TO REDUCE PREGNANCY-RELATED SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS INSOMNIA, LOW BACK PAIN, TIREDNESS, CONSTIPATION, LEG CRAMPS, AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY AIMED TO IDENTIFY THE EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS OF PREGNANT WOMEN RELATED TO THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. METHOD: THE RESEARCH TEAM CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE STUDY. SETTING: THE STUDY TOOK PLACE AT THE ANTENATAL CLINIC OF A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN THE CENTRAL ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY. PARTICIPANTS: THE PARTICIPANTS WERE 24 PREGNANT WOMEN AT THE CLINIC. INTERVENTION: THE STUDY INCLUDED AN INTERVENTION GROUP THAT PERFORMED YOGA AND RECEIVED ROUTINE ANTENATAL CARE; HOWEVER, NO CONTROL GROUPS WERE USED. EACH YOGA INTERVENTION WAS HELD FOR APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MINUTES, WITH YOGA ASANA PERIODS LASTING 30 MINUTES. THE PREGNANT WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA PRACTICE TWICE A WEEK ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR 8 WEEKS. OUTCOME MEASURES: DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS. THE INTERVIEWS WERE RECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED. RESULTS: FOUR MAJOR THEMES EMERGED: (1) PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PREGNANCY, (2) MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS, (3) PRENATAL ATTACHMENT, AND (4) BIRTH PERCEPTIONS. ACCORDING TO PARTICIPANTS, THE BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE WERE MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS, INCREASED PRENATAL ATTACHMENT, A POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF THE BIRTH, NATURAL-BIRTH BELIEFS, AND MANAGEMENT OF FEAR AND PAIN DURING BIRTH. CONCLUSIONS: THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BARRIERS TO PERFORMING YOGA; HOWEVER, THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY PREGNANCY YOGA IF THEY WERE ENCOURAGED BY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. ALSO, THE PARTICIPANTS STATED THAT PREGNANCY YOGA PRACTICE SHOULD BE MADE A PART OF ANTENATAL EDUCATION TO FACILITATE PARTICIPATION. 2021 8 469 36 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION USERS AMONG OLDER AUSTRALIAN WOMEN - RESULTS FROM THE 45 AND UP STUDY. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE PREDOMINANTLY UTILISED BY HEALTHY WELL-EDUCATED YOUNG WOMEN, BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT UTILISATION BY OLDER CHRONICALLY ILL WOMEN. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION USE AMONG MIDDLE-TO-HIGHER AGED AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THIS IS A SUB-STUDY OF THE 45 AND UP STUDY INCLUDING 1925 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN AGED 53-95 YEARS DIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS (ASTHMA, DEPRESSION, DIABETES, OSTEOARTHRITIS, AND OSTEOPOROSIS). INFORMATION ON YOGA AND MEDITATION USE FREQUENCIES (CATEGORIES: 'NO YOGA', 'AT LEAST ONCE DAILY', 'AT LEAST ONCE WEEKLY', AND 'AT LEAST ONCE MONTHLY'), SELF-PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS AND COMMUNICATION WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WERE ASSESSED VIA SELF-REPORT. LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION USE, USING SPSS 24.0. RESULTS: OVERALL 6.8% AND 10.7% OF WOMEN REPORTED THE USE OF YOGA AND MEDITATION RESPECTIVELY. MEDITATION WAS RARELY PRACTICED SUPERVISED (11.7%), COMPARED TO SIGNIFICANT HIGHER RATES IN YOGA (53.2%). PREDICTORS FOR YOGA AND MEDITATION USE WERE MARITAL STATUS (MARRIED/IN RELATIONSHIP>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 9 2806 33 YOGA THERAPY KNOWLEDGE IN THIRD-YEAR PHARMACY STUDENTS: AN EDUCATION INTERVENTION. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: THE OMISSION OF YOGA EDUCATION IN HEALTH PROFESSIONS CURRICULA LIMITS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FROM UNDERSTANDING HOW TO SUPPORT PATIENT WELL-BEING IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A YOGA THERAPY-BASED EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION IN INCREASING YOGA KNOWLEDGE OF THIRD-YEAR PHARMACY STUDENTS. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: STUDENTS IN THE PHARMACOGNOSY AND COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE COURSE RECEIVED A THREE-HOUR EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION OVER TWO CLASS MEETINGS ON YOGA THERAPY DURING FALL 2019. THE PEDAGOGICAL METHOD OF PEER INSTRUCTION WAS USED, AND PRE- AND POST-QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED ONLINE PRIOR TO AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION. THE INSTRUMENT CONTAINED EIGHT DEMOGRAPHIC, SIX YOGA KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION, 10 YOGA THERAPY, AND 15 REFERRAL BEHAVIOR QUESTIONS. FINDINGS: A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN YOGA KNOWLEDGE SCORES FROM 1.43 +/- 0.9 BEFORE THE EDUCATION INTERVENTION TO 5.69 +/- 1.65 AFTER THE INTERVENTION OCCURRED (P < .01) WAS FOUND. A MAJORITY BELIEVED THAT YOGA THERAPY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CURRICULUM. SUMMARY: INCREASES IN POST-QUESTIONNAIRE KNOWLEDGE SCORES SUGGESTED THAT THE EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION INCREASED PHARMACY STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF YOGA THERAPY IN OUR SAMPLE. STUDIES SPECIFIC TO YOGA EDUCATION IN HEALTH PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES, ARE SCARCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE IMPACT OF AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON YOGA KNOWLEDGE IN PHARMACY STUDENTS HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED. INCLUDING YOGA THERAPY IN PHARMACY CURRICULA SHOULD BE EXPLORED AS GREATER INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN HEALTHCARE IS LIKELY TO OCCUR DUE TO ITS EFFECTIVENESS AS AN ADJUNCT AND WIDESPREAD USE. 2021 10 1471 38 INPATIENT PRENATAL YOGA SESSIONS FOR WOMEN WITH HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. BACKGROUND: ANTENATAL HOSPITALIZATION FOR PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT STRESS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES. PRENATAL YOGA HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED IN THE OUTPATIENT SETTING AS A METHOD TO ALLEVIATE STRESS. THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF INCORPORATING PRENATAL YOGA INTO THE INPATIENT ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN HOSPITALIZED WITH PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS. STUDY DESIGN: HIGH-RISK WOMEN WERE RECRUITED FROM THE INPATIENT ANTEPARTUM SERVICE AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER (BOSTON, MA; MARCH 2016 TO FEBRUARY 2017) TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF AN INPATIENT PRENATAL YOGA PROGRAM. THE THIRTY-MINUTE SESSION WAS LED BY A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR IN A ROOM ADJACENT TO LABOR AND DELIVERY. PARTICIPANTS AND ANTEPARTUM NURSES COMPLETED STUDY QUESTIONNAIRES ADDRESSING LOGISTICS SUCH AS CLASS DURATION AND FREQUENCY. PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA WERE ALSO EXPLORED. RESULTS: THIRTY-NINE WOMEN WERE FOUND ELIGIBLE FOR THIS STUDY AND WERE CONSENTED FOR PARTICIPATION. OF THESE, FIFTEEN (38%) PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST ONE YOGA SESSION. RESPONSES TO THE TO THE POST-CLASS QUESTIONNAIRE BY STUDY PARTICIPANTS INDICATED THAT THE THIRTY MINUTES ALLOCATED FOR THE YOGA CLASS WAS APPROPRIATE. OF THE EIGHT PARTICIPANTS WHO RESPONDED TO THE DISCHARGE QUESTIONNAIRE, ALL INDICATED THAT THE CLASS WAS HELPFUL WITH REGARDS TO STRESS REDUCTION. COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES BY THE ANTEPARTUM NURSING STAFF (N = 14) UNANIMOUSLY INDICATED THAT THE YOGA SESSION WAS HELPFUL FOR THE PATIENTS AND WAS NOT DISRUPTIVE TO MEDICAL CARE. CONCLUSION(S): PRENATAL YOGA IS A TECHNIQUE THAT HAS BEEN CURRENTLY LIMITED TO THE OUTPATIENT SETTING. THIS STUDY PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR CONTINUED INVESTIGATION OF INPATIENT PRENATAL YOGA FOR WOMEN HOSPITALIZED WITH PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS. 2020 11 2236 29 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 12 22 38 "YOGA WAS MY SAVING GRACE": THE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN WHO PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA. BACKGROUND: APPROXIMATELY 20% OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA, BUT THERE IS A PAUCITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY EXAMINES WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY-BASED PRENATAL YOGA. METHOD: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE EXPLORATORY DESIGN USED FOCUS GROUPS WITH A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE OF PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN (N = 14) WHO ENGAGED IN PRENATAL YOGA WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS. CONTENT ANALYSIS WAS EMPLOYED TO IDENTIFY KEY THEMES AND SUBTHEMES. RESULTS: THREE THEMES AROSE: (A) STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS COMMONLY INSTIGATE WOMEN'S INTEREST IN PRENATAL YOGA, (B) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED TO BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND PHYSICALLY BENEFICIAL, AND (C) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OTHER GROUP CLASSES. CONCLUSIONS: PREGNANT WOMEN WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS MAY BE DRAWN TO PRENATAL YOGA FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON THESE NEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DESIGNING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES WITH THIS POPULATION. 2015 13 1588 44 MEDICAL YOGA: ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD-A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. THE PREVALENCE OF STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS HAS GROWN IN RECENT YEARS. MANY OF THESE PATIENTS SEEK HELP IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE. YOGA CAN REDUCE STRESS AND THUS COMPLEMENTS PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY IN MEDICAL PRACTICE. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA TREATMENT IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING OR, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WHEN SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS. THUS, THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE MEANING OF PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAL YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING. THIS STUDY HAS A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL DESIGN AND TOOK PLACE AT A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE IN SWEDEN DURING 2011. FIVE WOMEN AND ONE MAN (43-51 YEARS) PARTICIPATED. THEY WERE RECRUITED FROM THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N=18) IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL, IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN A MEDICAL YOGA GROUP IN ADDITION TO STANDARD CARE FOR 12 WEEKS. DATA WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, AND A PHENOMENOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. THE ESSENTIAL MEANING OF THE MEDICAL YOGA EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THE MEDICAL YOGA WAS NOT AN ENDPOINT OF RECOVERY BUT THE START OF A PROCESS TOWARDS AN INCREASED SENSE OF WHOLENESS. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A WAY OF ALLEVIATING SUFFERING, AND IT PROVIDED THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A TOOL FOR DEALING WITH THEIR STRESS AND CURRENT SITUATION ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL. IT LED TO GREATER SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH IN TURN HAD AN IMPLICIT IMPACT ON THEIR LIFEWORLD. IN PHENOMENOLOGICAL TERMS, THIS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD, ENCOMPASSING A PERCEPTION OF DEEPENED IDENTITY. FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE, DUE TO USING THE BODY IN A NEW WAY (YOGA), THE PARTICIPANTS HAD LEARNT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, WHICH ENRICHED AND RECAST THEIR PERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES. 2014 14 2661 37 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 15 2237 41 THE IMPACTS OF PILATES AND YOGA ON HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS AND SUBJECTIVE HEALTH STATUS. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES WHETHER PILATES AND YOGA LEAD PEOPLE TO ADOPT GENERALLY HEALTH-PROMOTING LIFESTYLE ELEMENTS AND FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS. TO THIS END, WE DESIGNED AN 8 WEEK EXERCISE PROGRAM OF PILATES AND YOGA REVIEWED BY VETERAN PRACTITIONERS AND CONDUCTED AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY THROUGH WHICH WE COLLECTED THE DATA FROM 90 VOLUNTEERED ADULT SUBJECTS BETWEEN AGES 30 AND 49 (MEAN AGE = 35.47), EQUALLY REPRESENTED BY WOMEN AND MEN WITHOUT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PILATES OR YOGA. IN THE 8 WEEK LONG EXPERIMENT, WE ASSIGNED THE SUBJECTS TO THREE GROUPS, WHERE SUBJECTS IN THE TWO EXERCISE GROUPS REGULARLY TOOK PART IN EITHER PILATES OR YOGA CLASSES, AND THE CONTROL GROUP PARTICIPATED IN NEITHER EXERCISE CLASSES. ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED TWO SURVEYS, THE HEALTH-PROMOTING LIFESTYLE PROFILE (HPLP II) AND THE HEALTH SELF-RATING SCALE (HSRS), BEFORE AND AFTER THEIR ASSIGNED PROGRAM. IN OUR ANALYSIS OF PRE- AND POST-TREATMENT DIFFERENCES ACROSS THE THREE GROUPS, WE RAN ANOVA, ANCOVA, AND SHEFFE TEST, IMPLEMENTED USING SPSS PASW STATISTICS 18.00. OUR RESULTS INDICATE THAT PILATES AND YOGA GROUPS EXHIBITED A HIGHER ENGAGEMENT IN HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS THAN THE CONTROL GROUP AFTER THE PROGRAM. SUBJECTIVE HEALTH STATUS, MEASURED WITH HSRS, ALSO IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY AMONG PILATES AND YOGA PARTICIPANTS COMPARED TO THOSE IN THE CONTROL GROUP AFTER THE PROGRAM. THE SUPPLEMENTARY ANALYSIS FINDS NO SIGNIFICANT GENDER-BASED DIFFERENCE IN THESE IMPACTS. OVERALL, OUR RESULTS CONFIRM THAT PILATES AND YOGA HELP RECRUIT HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS IN PARTICIPANTS AND ENGENDER POSITIVE BELIEFS ABOUT THEIR SUBJECTIVE HEALTH STATUS, THEREBY SETTING A POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT CYCLE IN MOTION. BY PROVIDING CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT THE PROMOTION OF PILATES OR YOGA CAN SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION STRATEGY THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS CHANGE BEHAVIORS ADVERSE TO THEIR HEALTH, THIS STUDY OFFERS PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ALIKE. 2021 16 1753 45 PILOTING YOGA AND ASSESSING OUTCOMES IN A RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH UNIT. THIS STUDY EXAMINED IF ADOLESCENTS ON A RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH UNIT WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION. YOGA HAS BEEN USED AS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE FOR MORE THAN 2000 YEARS; HOWEVER, STUDIES ARE LIMITED REGARDING ITS EFFECTS ON ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ON AN INPATIENT UNIT. YOGA WAS ADDED, TWICE WEEKLY, TO THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE. TRAIT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE QUESTIONNAIRE-ADOLESCENT SHORT FORM (TEIQUE-ASF) SCORES WERE MEASURED OVER 8 WEEKS. ADDITIONAL MEASURES INCLUDED DAILY NUMBERS OF QUIET TIMES, TIME OUTS, AND POINT CARD SCORES. TWENTY-TWO ADOLESCENTS COMPLETED THE STUDY. THE TEIQUE-ASF ASSESSMENT WAS ABLE TO DETECT CHANGES IN TOTAL SCORES OVER 8 WEEKS. INCREASED YOGA PARTICIPATION WAS RELATED TO HIGHER VALUES OF THE TEIQUE-ASF SUBDOMAIN OF SOCIABILITY, INCREASE IN WEEKLY POINT CARD TOTALS, A DECREASE IN BEHAVIOURAL TIME OUTS, AND A DECREASE IN COMBINED BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS AT VARIOUS TIME POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAMME. THIS STUDY WAS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT WAS CONDUCTED ON AN ADOLESCENT INPATIENT UNIT. IT PROVIDES SUPPORT THAT YOGA, AS PART OF A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME, IS A FEASIBLE INTERVENTION FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. CHANGES IN THE VARIOUS MEASURES CANNOT BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO YOGA BECAUSE OF LACK OF A COMPARISON GROUP. ADDITIONAL STUDIES WITH A LARGER SAMPLE, AND RANDOMIZATION, ARE NEEDED TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA AND TO DETERMINE IF CHANGES TO THE TEIQUE-ASF CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO YOGA OR OTHER BEHAVIOURAL-BASED INTERVENTIONS. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW YOGA WILL IMPACT BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN AN INPATIENT SETTING. THIS STUDY EXAMINED IF ADOLESCENTS ON A RESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH UNIT WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS EMOTIONAL REGULATION. A SINGLE COHORT STUDY DESIGN WAS USED. YOGA WAS ADDED TO THE PROGRAMME SCHEDULE TWICE WEEKLY. TRAIT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE QUESTIONNAIRE-ADOLESCENT SHORT FORM (TEIQUE-ASF) SCORES AND ADDITIONAL BEHAVIOURAL MEASURES WERE TRACKED OVER 8 WEEKS. ADOLESCENTS PARTICIPATED IN YOGA, WITH A HIGHER PARTICIPATION RATE FOR GIRLS COMPARED WITH BOYS. THE TEIQUE-ASF ASSESSMENT DETECTED CHANGES IN TOTAL SCORE OVER 8 WEEKS. INCREASED YOGA PARTICIPATION WAS RELATED TO HIGHER VALUES OF THE TEIQUE-ASF SUBDOMAIN OF SOCIABILITY, INCREASE IN WEEKLY POINT CARD TOTALS, AND A DECREASE IN COMBINED BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS AT VARIOUS TIME POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAMME. THIS STUDY WAS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT WAS CONDUCTED ON AN ADOLESCENT INPATIENT UNIT. FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO DETERMINE IF CHANGES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO YOGA OR OTHER BEHAVIOURAL-BASED INTERVENTIONS. IF SUPPORTED BY FURTHER STUDIES, YOGA HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A COMPLIMENTARY THERAPY THAT CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TREATMENT APPROACH FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS. 2015 17 2903 34 [HOW SHOULD YOGA IN ANOREXIA NERVOSA TREATMENT BE APPLIED? A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY ON YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL FROM PATIENTS' PERSPECTIVE]. AN ALTERED INTEROCEPTION IS A CENTRAL CORRELATE OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN) AND ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OFFERS A PROMISING APPROACH IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. FIRST RESULTS HAVE SHOWN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A BODY-FOCUSED INTERVENTION IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. HOWEVER, TO DATE THERE IS A LACK OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE REGARDING THE QUESTION HOW YOGA STRATEGIES AND YOGA ELEMENTS (POSTURES, RELAXATION, BREATH, MEDITATION) SHOULD BE APPLIED. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY WITH N=6 FEMALE PATIENTS WITH AN UNDERGOING TREATMENT IN A SPECIALIST UNIT SUPPORTING RE-INSERTION SUBSEQUENT TO A PRECEDING INPATIENT AN TREATMENT. STUDY PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED A WEEKLY ONE-HOUR HATHA-YOGA INTERVENTION OVER AT LEAST 12 WEEKS. AFTER THE YOGA INTERVENTION, SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (1/2 TO 1 HOUR) WERE CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THE EXPERIENCES OF THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING GROUNDED THEORY. AT THE UPPER LEVEL OF ANALYSIS, FOUR CATEGORIES WERE DIFFERENTIATED: INFORMATION REGARDING 1) STUDY PARTICIPANTS' SYMPTOMS, 2) ASPECTS OF THE SETTING EXPERIENCED TO BE BENEFICIAL, 3) YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL AND 4) PERCEIVED CONSEQUENCES OF YOGA STRATEGIES. WITH REGARD TO THE YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL, ANALYSES REVEALED 4 SUBCATEGORIES: FEATURES OF 1) POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS, 2) BREATH AND MEDITATION EXERCISES, 3) RELAXATION EXERCISES AND 4) GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETTING. THE RESULTS GIVE FIRST INDICATIONS REGARDING THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN AND POTENTIAL MECHANISMS. FURTHER QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ARE NEEDED, E.G., WITH REGARD TO EFFECTIVENESS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, MEDIATORS OR MODERATORS TO BETTER EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. 2021 18 393 33 BENEFITS, BARRIERS AND DETERMINANTS OF PRACTICING YOGA: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY FROM KATHMANDU, NEPAL. BACKGROUND: IT HAS BEEN WIDELY BELIEVED THAT PRACTICING YOGA HELPS TO IMPROVE INDIVIDUALS' MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. HOWEVER, THE PROPORTION OF PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA IS NOT ENCOURAGING. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES THE DETERMINANTS, MOTIVATIONS, BENEFITS AND BARRIERS TO PRACTICING YOGA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: THIS STUDY IS BASED ON A CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY OF 875 INDIVIDUALS IN A FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED FROM FEBRUARY TO APRIL 2019 IN KATHMANDU, NEPAL. THE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED USING A SEMI-STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE, AND THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE COLLECTED DATA WAS DONE USING SPSSV20. RESULTS: WE FIND THAT FEMALES, OLDER PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO HEALTH EDUCATION AND INTERNET, ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, AND RECEIVING YOGA-RELATED TRAINING ARE MORE LIKELY TO PRACTICE YOGA. MAJOR REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA INCLUDE IMPROVEMENT IN BODY FLEXIBILITY AND BALANCE, A DECREASE IN THE LEVEL OF STRESS, IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE, BODY WEIGHT MAINTENANCE, AND IMPROVEMENT IN IMMUNITY POWER. CONCLUSION: GIVEN THAT MOST RESPONDENTS HAVE BEEN BENEFITED FROM PRACTICING YOGA, WE RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO INCORPORATE YOGA INTO THEIR DAILY ROUTINE. 2021 19 4 27 "I COULD MOVE MOUNTAINS": ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES REFLECT ON THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA PRACTICE. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DESCRIBE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AS SHARED BY ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES AND TO EXAMINE THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME. METHODS: IN THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY, 13 ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES DESCRIBED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AND THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME. SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS OCCURRED 16 TO 20 MONTHS AFTER COMPLETION OF AN 8-WEEK YOGA-BASED CLINICAL TRIAL. RESULTS: THEMES OF READINESS FOR CONTINUING YOGA, ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT FOR YOGA, AND INTEGRATING YOGA EMERGED THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS APPEALING TO SOME INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES, BUT MAINTAINING YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME IS A CHALLENGE. DIABETES EDUCATORS MAY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT MAINTENANCE BY DISCUSSING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPRESS INTEREST IN YOGA PRACTICE. 2010 20 470 28 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND PREDICTORS OF PRACTICE FREQUENCY. YOGA IS A GLOBALLY POPULAR MIND-BODY PRACTICE USED FOR HEALTH. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO CHARACTERIZE YOGA PRACTICE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FREQUENCY OF PRACTICE. YOGA PRACTITIONERS WERE SENT INVITATIONS VIA EMAIL TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ONLINE SURVEY. YOGA CHARACTERISTICS AND OTHER SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS WERE COLLECTED. DATA FROM 309 CONSENTING RESPONDENTS WERE ANALYZED FOR PATTERNS IN PRACTICE CHARACTERISTICS (YOGA TECHNIQUES, LOCATION OF PRACTICE, METHOD OF INSTRUCTION, TEACHER STATUS, AND YOGA TYPE). ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CHARACTERISTICS OF PRACTICE AND YOGA PRACTICE FREQUENCY WERE COMPUTED. THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS WERE THEN ANALYZED AS PREDICTORS OF PRACTICE FREQUENCY IN A REGRESSION MODEL: LOCATION OF PRACTICE, METHOD OF INSTRUCTION, TEACHER STATUS, YOGA TYPE, AND TECHNIQUES. MOST RESPONDENTS REPORTED USE OF ALL THREE YOGA TECHNIQUES (MOVEMENTS, BREATHING, AND MEDITATION) AND PRACTICED AN AVERAGE OF 4.5 +/- 1.9 DAYS A WEEK. KEY CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS LOCATION OF PRACTICE, METHOD OF INSTRUCTION, AND FREQUENCY SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERED BY TEACHER STATUS AND BY YOGA TYPE (VINIYOGA PRACTITIONERS VS. OTHER YOGA STYLES). IN OUR REGRESSION MODEL, BEING A YOGA TEACHER, BEING TAUGHT A ONE-ON-ONE YOGA PRACTICE BY SOMEONE ELSE, AND REGULAR USE OF MOVEMENT WERE POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED PRACTICE FREQUENCY. OUR ANALYSES PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HOW YOGA FACTORS SUCH AS TEACHER STATUS, METHOD OF INSTRUCTION, AND USE OF TOOLS RELATE TO PRACTICE FREQUENCY. UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRACTICE CHARACTERISTICS AND PRACTICE FREQUENCY MAY ALLOW FOR THE IMPROVED IMPLEMENTATION OF YOGA FOR HEALTH. 2018