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 2 377 29 BARRIERS IN THE PATH OF YOGA PRACTICE: AN ONLINE SURVEY. CONTEXT: CLINICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA HAVE BEEN WELL EXPLORED, BUT FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ADHERENCE TO REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE ARE NOT WELL STUDIED. AIMS: TO STUDY THE FACTORS INFLUENCING ADHERENCE TO YOGA PRACTICES ON THOSE PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED 1-MONTH YOGA INSTRUCTORS' COURSE FROM A YOGA UNIVERSITY. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: ONLINE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON PARTICIPANTS WHO HAD FINISHED 1-MONTH YOGA INSTRUCTORS' COURSE AT A YOGA UNIVERSITY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ONLINE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED USING SURVEY MONKEY WEB PORTAL WITH RESPONSE RATE OF 42.5%. A TOTAL OF 1355 PARTICIPANTS WERE APPROACHED. DEMOGRAPHIC ITEMS AND A CHECKLIST OF 21 ITEMS ON A 5-POINT LIKERT SCALE WERE PREPARED BASED ON TRADITIONAL YOGA TEXTS. A FEW ITEMS TO ASSESS MODERN LIFESTYLE BARRIERS WERE ALSO INCLUDED. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: ONE-SAMPLE PROPORTION TEST WITH CHI SQUARE STATISTICS WAS USED FOR ANALYSIS. RESULTS: IRREGULARITY IN LIFESTYLE, FAMILY COMMITMENTS, AND OCCUPATIONAL COMMITMENTS ARE PERCEIVED AS SIGNIFICANT STRONG BARRIERS. DULLNESS, EXCESSIVE TALKING, STRICTLY ADHERING TO RULES, LAZINESS, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL OVEREXERTION, FICKLENESS AND WANDERING OF MIND, UNSTEADINESS OF MIND, PROCRASTINATION, AND OVERSLEEPING ARE CONSIDERED AS SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS OF MODERATE NATURE. CONCLUSIONS: MODERN LIFESTYLE IS THE MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR YOGA PRACTITIONERS TO ADHERE TO REGULAR PRACTICE OF YOGA. TO ADDRESS THIS, ATTENTION IS REQUIRED IN STRENGTHENING THE LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT AND THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF YOGA PRACTICE AS THE SPIRITUAL COMPONENT SEEMS TO BE SIDE-TRACKED. 2014 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 2404 26 YOGA AND EPILEPSY: WHAT DO PATIENTS PERCEIVE? CONTEXT: BENEFIT OF YOGA THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF EPILEPSY IS EMERGING. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DATA AVAILABLE ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE (KAP) OF YOGA AMONGST PEOPLE LIVING WITH EPILEPSY (PLWE). AIMS: THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO EXPLORE THE KAP ABOUT YOGA AMONG PLWE. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON 300 PLWE ATTENDING THE NEUROLOGY OUT-PATIENT SERVICES OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL. METHODOLOGY: THREE HUNDRED PLWE (MALE:FEMALE=173:127; AGE: 31.6+/-12.4 YEARS) ATTENDING THE NEUROLOGY OUT-PATIENT SERVICES OF A NEUROPSYCHIATRY HOSPITAL WERE ADMINISTERED A PRE-TESTED KAP QUESTIONNAIRE. RESULTS: ABOUT 87.4% WERE ON REGULAR ANTI-EPILEPTIC DRUGS AND HALF (50.3%) ON MONOTHERAPY. USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE BY THE RESPONDENTS INCLUDED: AYURVEDA (26.7%), YOGA (25.6%) AND HOMEOPATHY (16.3%) OR FOLK MEDICINE (29.1%). NEARLY 33.7% OF THE RESPONDENTS REPORTED THAT YOGA IS BENEFICIAL IN MANAGING EPILEPSY. MORE THAN HALF THE RESPONDENTS (54.8%) WERE WILLING TO PRACTICE YOGA. THOSE WHO PRACTICED YOGA OPINED THAT REGULAR PRACTICE OF YOGA MIGHT REDUCE DOSAGE OF MEDICATION (62.8%), THEIR SIDE EFFECTS (51.3%) AND FREQUENCY OF SEIZURES (54.5%). MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS WERE WILLING TO PRACTICE YOGA, IF YOGA SERVICES WERE OFFERED. CONCLUSION: THE GAPS IN KAP IDENTIFIED IN THIS STUDY POINT TO THE NEED FOR MORE SYSTEMATIC EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT AWARENESS OF YOGA IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY. 2013 5 2336 31 UNDERSTANDING NORTH AMERICAN YOGA THERAPISTS' ATTITUDES, SKILLS AND USE OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE: A CROSS-NATIONAL SURVEY. INTRODUCTION: LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE ADOPTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE (EBP) BY YOGA THERAPISTS (YTS). OBJECTIVE: TO DETERMINE THE ATTITUDES, SKILLS, TRAINING, USE, BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO THE USE OF EBP AMONGST NORTH AMERICAN YTS DESIGN: CROSS-SECTIONAL, DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY METHODS: SELF-IDENTIFIED YTS PRACTICING IN NORTH AMERICA WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ONLINE SURVEY. YT ATTITUDES, SKILLS, TRAINING, UTILISATION, BARRIERS TO USE, AND FACILITATORS OF EBP USE WERE MEASURED USING THE 84-ITEM EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE ATTITUDE AND UTILIZATION SURVEY (EBASE). RESULTS: 367 MEMBERS RESPONDED ( APPROXIMATELY 20% OF ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS). ATTITUDES TOWARDS EBP WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE WITH 88% AGREEING THAT PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE AND RESEARCH FINDINGS WERE USEFUL FOR THE PRACTICE OF YOGA THERAPY. MOST (80%) WERE INTERESTED IN IMPROVING THEIR SKILLS AND THE MAJORITY AGREED THAT EBP IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF CARE (68%), ASSISTS IN MAKING DECISIONS (74%) AND TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE YTS CLINICAL EXPERIENCE WHEN MAKING CLINICAL DECISIONS (59%). MODERATE TO MODERATELY-HIGH LEVELS OF PERCEIVED SKILL IN EBP WERE REPORTED MOSTLY UTILIZING ONLINE SEARCH ENGINES (51%). LACK OF CLINICAL EVIDENCE WAS THE ONLY NOTABLE BARRIER TO UPTAKE REPORTED BY YTS (48%). FACILITATORS TO EBP INCLUDED ACCESS TO ONLINE EBP EDUCATION MATERIALS (70.6%), ABILITY TO DOWNLOAD FULL-TEXT JOURNAL ARTICLES AND ACCESS TO FREE ONLINE DATABASES IN THE WORKPLACE (67.3%). CONCLUSION: NORTH AMERICAN YTS REPORT POSITIVE ATTITUDES, MODERATE TO MODERATELY-HIGH LEVELS OF PERCEIVED SKILL AND MODERATE UPTAKE OF EBP. THIS ALIGNS THEM WITH OTHER COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF EBP ARE PROPOSED AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING BEST PRACTICE IN YOGA THERAPY. 2017 6 1807 27 PREVALENCE, PATTERNS, AND PREDICTORS OF YOGA USE: RESULTS OF A U.S. NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY. INTRODUCTION: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE PREVALENCE, PATTERNS, AND PREDICTORS OF YOGA USE IN THE U.S. GENERAL POPULATION. METHODS: USING CROSS-SECTIONAL DATA FROM THE 2012 NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY FAMILY CORE, SAMPLE ADULT CORE, AND ADULT COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE QUESTIONNAIRES (N=34,525), WEIGHTED FREQUENCIES FOR LIFETIME AND 12-MONTH PREVALENCE OF YOGA USE AND PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE WERE ANALYZED. USING LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSES, SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF LIFETIME YOGA USE WERE ANALYZED. ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED IN 2015. RESULTS: LIFETIME AND 12-MONTH PREVALENCE OF YOGA USE WERE 13.2% AND 8.9%, RESPECTIVELY. COMPARED WITH NONPRACTITIONERS, LIFETIME YOGA PRACTITIONERS WERE MORE LIKELY FEMALE, YOUNGER, NON-HISPANIC WHITE, COLLEGE EDUCATED, HIGHER EARNERS, LIVING IN THE WEST, AND OF BETTER HEALTH STATUS. AMONG THOSE WHO HAD PRACTICED IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, 51.2% ATTENDED YOGA CLASSES, 89.9% USED BREATHING EXERCISES, AND 54.9% USED MEDITATION. YOGA WAS PRACTICED FOR GENERAL WELLNESS OR DISEASE PREVENTION (78.4%), TO IMPROVE ENERGY (66.1%), OR TO IMPROVE IMMUNE FUNCTION (49.7%). BACK PAIN (19.7%), STRESS (6.4%), AND ARTHRITIS (6.4%) WERE THE MAIN SPECIFIC HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR WHICH PEOPLE PRACTICED YOGA. CONCLUSIONS: ABOUT 31 MILLION U.S. ADULTS HAVE EVER USED YOGA, AND ABOUT 21 MILLION PRACTICED YOGA IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. DISEASE PREVENTION AND BACK PAIN RELIEF WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT HEALTH REASONS FOR YOGA PRACTICE. YOGA PRACTICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH AGE, GENDER, ETHNICITY, SES, AND HEALTH STATUS. 2016 7 394 25 BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND CUES TO ACTION OF YOGA PRACTICE: A FOCUS GROUP APPROACH. OBJECTIVES: TO EXPLORE PERCEIVED BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND CUES TO ACTION OF YOGA PRACTICE AMONG ADULTS. METHODS: FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER PRACTICED YOGA, PRACTITIONERS OF ONE YEAR OR LESS, AND PRACTITIONERS FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL WAS THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATION OF INQUIRY. RESULTS: ALL PARTICIPANTS ACKNOWLEDGED A VARIETY OF BENEFITS OF YOGA. BARRIERS OUTWEIGHED BENEFITS AMONG PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER PRACTICED DESPITE KNOWLEDGE OF BENEFITS. POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AND YOGA INSTRUCTORS FACILITATED PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: NEWLY IDENTIFIED BENEFITS AND BARRIERS INDICATE THE NEED FOR QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH AND BEHAVIORAL TRIALS. 2009 8 471 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 9 1662 28 NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS: MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS. OBJECTIVES: TO DESCRIBE YOGA PRACTICE AND HEALTH CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA, AND TO EXPLORE THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF THEIR YOGA PRACTICE ON THEIR HEALTH. DESIGN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGN WITH ANONYMOUS ONLINE SURVEYS. SETTING: 4307 RANDOMLY SELECTED INDIVIDUALS FROM 15 US IYENGAR YOGA STUDIOS (N=18,160), REPRESENTING 41 STATES; 1087 INDIVIDUALS RESPONDED, WITH 1045 (24.3%) SURVEYS COMPLETED. OUTCOME MEASURES: FREIBERG MINDFULNESS INVENTORY, MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUUM (SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING), MULTI-FACTOR SCREENER (DIET), PROMIS SLEEP DISTURBANCE, FATIGUE, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT, INTERNATIONAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRE. RESULTS: AGE: 19-87 YEARS (M=51.7 +/- 11.7), 84.2% FEMALE, 89.2% WHITE, 87.4% WELL EDUCATED (>/= BACHELOR'S DEGREE). MEAN YEARS OF YOGA PRACTICE=11.4 (+/- 7.5). BMI=12.1-49.4 (M=23.1 +/- 3.9). LEVELS OF OBESITY (4.9%), SMOKING (2%), AND FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION (M=6.1 +/- 1.1) WERE FAVORABLE COMPARED TO NATIONAL NORMS. 60% REPORTED AT LEAST ONE CHRONIC/SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITION, YET MOST REPORTED VERY GOOD (46.3%) OR EXCELLENT (38.8%) GENERAL HEALTH. DESPITE HIGH LEVELS OF DEPRESSION (24.8%), NEARLY ALL WERE MODERATELY MENTALLY HEALTHY (55.2%) OR FLOURISHING (43.8%). PARTICIPANTS AGREED YOGA IMPROVED: ENERGY (84.5%), HAPPINESS (86.5%), SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS (67%), SLEEP (68.5%), AND WEIGHT (57.3%), AND BELIEFS DID NOT DIFFER SUBSTANTIALLY ACCORDING TO RACE OR GENDER. THE MORE THEY PRACTICED YOGA, WHETHER IN YEARS OR IN AMOUNT OF CLASS OR HOME PRACTICE, THE HIGHER THEIR ODDS OF BELIEVING YOGA IMPROVED THEIR HEALTH. CONCLUSIONS: INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA ARE NOT FREE OF HEALTH CONCERNS, BUT MOST BELIEVE THEIR HEALTH IMPROVED BECAUSE OF YOGA. YOGA MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL FOR A NUMBER OF POPULATIONS INCLUDING ELDERLY WOMEN AND THOSE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS. 2013 10 2876 30 YOGA-RELATED INJURIES IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 2001 TO 2014. BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS BECOME MORE POPULAR AMONG PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAS BEEN TOUTED BY BOTH YOGA PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS SOME PHYSICIANS AND RESEARCHERS FOR ITS HEALTH BENEFITS. WHILE THE HEALTH BENEFITS HAVE BEEN STUDIED, THE FREQUENCY OF INJURY AMONG YOGA PARTICIPANTS HAS NOT BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED. PURPOSE: INJURY INCIDENCE, RATES, AND TYPES ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE NOT BEEN QUANTIFIED. THIS STUDY ESTIMATES US YOGA-ASSOCIATED INJURY INCIDENCE AND CHARACTERIZES INJURY TYPE OVER A 13-YEAR PERIOD. STUDY DESIGN: DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY. METHODS: DATA FROM THE NATIONAL ELECTRONIC INJURY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (NEISS) FROM 2001 TO 2014 WERE USED TO ESTIMATE THE INCIDENCE AND TYPE OF YOGA-ASSOCIATED INJURIES. THE NUMBER AND AGE DISTRIBUTION OF YOGA PARTICIPANTS WAS ESTIMATED USING DATA FROM NATIONAL HEALTH STATISTICS REPORTS. THESE NATIONAL POPULATION ESTIMATES WERE APPLIED TO THE NEISS DATA TO DETERMINE INJURY RATES OVERALL AND STRATIFIED ACCORDING TO AGE CATEGORIES. RESULTS: THERE WERE 29,590 YOGA-RELATED INJURIES SEEN IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS FROM 2001 TO 2014. THE TRUNK (46.6%) WAS THE MOST FREQUENT REGION INJURED, AND SPRAIN/STRAIN (45.0%) ACCOUNTED FOR THE MAJORITY OF DIAGNOSES. THE INJURY RATE INCREASED OVERALL FROM 2001 TO 2014, AND IT WAS GREATEST FOR THOSE AGED 65 YEARS AND OLDER (57.9/100,000) COMPARED WITH THOSE AGED 18 TO 44 YEARS (11.9/100,000) AND 45 TO 64 YEARS (17.7/100,000) IN 2014. CONCLUSION: PARTICIPANTS AGED 65 YEARS AND OLDER HAVE A GREATER RATE OF INJURY FROM PRACTICING YOGA WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER AGE GROUPS. MOST INJURIES SUSTAINED WERE TO THE TRUNK AND INVOLVED A SPRAIN/STRAIN. WHILE THERE ARE MANY HEALTH BENEFITS TO PRACTICING YOGA, PARTICIPANTS AND THOSE WISHING TO BECOME PARTICIPANTS SHOULD CONFER WITH A PHYSICIAN PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND PRACTICE ONLY UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS. 2016 11 1349 36 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 1802 27 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 13 2253 28 THE NORTH AMERICAN YOGA THERAPY WORKFORCE SURVEY. OBJECTIVE: TO DESCRIBE THE PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL, PRACTICE, SERVICE AND CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN YOGA THERAPY WORKFORCE. DESIGN: CROSS-SECTIONAL, DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY DEVELOPED AND INFORMED BY THE CONTEMPORARY WORKFORCE LITERATURE. A LINK TO THE E-SURVEY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF YOGA THERAPISTS. RESULTS: 367 MEMBERS RESPONDED ( APPROXIMATELY 20% OF ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS). MOST WERE AGED 40-69 YEARS (88%) AND FEMALE (91%). ALMOST HALF (42%) IDENTIFIED AS A "SEASONED YOGA THERAPIST" AND FEW (9%) GRADUATED FROM AN ACCREDITED 800-H YOGA THERAPY PROGRAM. AN AVERAGE OF 8H/WEEK WAS SPENT IN CLINICAL PRACTICE WITH MANY (41%) EARNING AN ANNUAL INCOME OF