title: The effectiveness of a brief mind-body intervention for treating depression in community health center patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this pilot study was to examine the effects of a brief, 6-week, 1.5-hour mind-body intervention for depression (MBID) in patients being treated for depression in 2 community health centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MBID taught techniques such as meditation that elicit the relaxation response (RR) in combination with additional resiliency-enhancing components. Clinical outcomes of 24 depressed patients were measured pre-MBID, at completion of MBID, and 3 months post-MBID, using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 10), Quality of Life Scale (QoL5), SF-12 Health Survey (SF-12), and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant post-treatment improvements were shown in depressive symptoms, spiritual growth, mental health, and quality of life, with a median CES-D 10 change from 17.5 (interquartile ratio [IQR] 13.3-22) to 12 (IQR 10-17.5; P<.001); a median HPLP-II Spiritual Growth subscale change from 2.0 (IQR 1.8-2.3) to 2.3 (IQR 2.0-3.0; P=.002) and a median HPLP-II Stress Management subscale change from 2.0 (IQR 1.8-2.4) to 2.4 (IQR 2.0-2.9; P=.027); significant improvement in median score on the QoL-5 from 53.3 (IQR 47.5-62.5) at baseline to 63.3 at endpoint (IQR 50-70; P=.008). Three-month follow-up data suggest that the improvement in outcomes were sustained 3 months after the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in a 6-week RR-based MBID is associated with an improvement in depression, spiritual growth, and mental health among depressed community health center patients.
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Dr Miller), United States.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Ms Chad-Friedman), United States.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chad-Friedman
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Ms Haime), United States.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haime
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Dr Mehta), United States.
authors.forename: Darshan H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Ms Lepoutre), United States.
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lepoutre
authors.affiliation: MGH Charlestown Health Center (Ms Gilburd), United States.
authors.forename: Dinah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gilburd
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Ms Peltier-Saxe), United States.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peltier-Saxe
authors.affiliation: Red Sox Foundation, Boston, and MGH Home Base Program (Ms Lilley), United States.
authors.forename: Cally
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lilley
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Dr Benson), United States.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Dr Fricchione), United States.
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Fricchione
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Dr Denninger), United States.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Denninger
authors.affiliation: Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston (Dr Yeung), United States.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yeung
keywords: Mind-body; community health centers; depression; relaxation response