Fisher, V., Li, W. W., Malabu, U. (2023). The effectiveness of MBSR on the mental health, HbA1C, and mindfulness of diabetes patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. [link] https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12441
The systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Fisher et al. (2023) aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the mental health outcomes, HbA1C levels, and mindfulness of diabetes patients. The study included 718 participants from 10 studies. The results showed that MBSR had significant effects in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms and enhancing mindfulness, with large effect sizes at both post-intervention and follow-up. However, the reduction in stress was observed only at follow-up and not at post-intervention. No significant effects were found for HbA1C levels.
Depression and anxiety are common comorbidities in diabetes patients, and chronic stress triggered by diabetes is associated with higher levels of cortisol, anxiety, and depression. These mental health conditions can have negative impacts on blood glucose management and overall health outcomes, leading to increased healthcare costs. Psychotherapies that help diabetes patients manage stress, anxiety, and depression are beneficial in reducing healthcare costs. MBSR, a mindfulness-based intervention, has been utilized as a treatment option for diabetes patients in the past decade. The intervention involves weekly group sessions and a full-day retreat to cultivate mindfulness, which has been found to be protective for mental health.
While previous studies have reported the effectiveness of MBSR in improving mental health outcomes and reducing HbA1C levels in diabetes patients, systematic reviews and meta-analyses on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the specific effects of MBSR are limited. Two existing reviews did not provide specific information on the effects of MBSR on health outcomes in diabetes patients or its effects on mindfulness. To address these research gaps, the present study focused on the effects of MBSR on stress, anxiety, depression, HbA1C, and mindfulness, conducting a meta-analysis.
Overall, the findings of this study suggest that MBSR is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as improving mindfulness in diabetes patients. However, it did not show effectiveness in reducing HbA1C levels. Despite its limitations, this study highlights the clinical significance of MBSR in diabetes care, emphasizing its potential in addressing mental health issues in this patient population.
