JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Individuals with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience psychological distress including symptoms of anxiety and depression; however, these symptoms often remain untreated.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of virtual Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (v-MBSR) for adults with IBD.

Methods:

IBD patients with self-reported anxiety or depression were recruited from clinics in Alberta, Canada to participate in an 8-week v-MSBR intervention. Eligible patients participated in v-MBSR delivered by psychiatrists using a videoconferencing platform. Primary feasibility outcomes included trial uptake, adherence, attendance, and attrition rates. Secondary effectiveness outcomes included measures of anxiety, depression, quality of life, and mindfulness. Effectiveness data was collected at three timepoints: baseline, at intervention completion, and 6 months after completion. To further assess feasibility and acceptability, participants were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview after completing v-MBSR.

Results:

Sixteen of sixty-four (25%) referred patients agreed to participate in v-MBSR with the most common reason for decline being a lack of time. Seven of the 16 (43.8%) participants completed the program and experienced encouraging effects including decreased anxiety and depression symptoms and increased health-related quality of life with both improvements persisting at 6-month follow-up. Participants described improved coping strategies and disease management techniques as benefits of v-MBSR.

Conclusions:

IBD patients were interested in a psychiatrist-led virtual anxiety management intervention, but results demonstrate v-MBSR may be too time intensive for some IBD patients. v-MBSR was acceptable to those who completed the intervention and improvements to anxiety, depression, and quality of life were promising and sustainable.