The Effect of Teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Quality of Life of Patients with Asthma

Asthma is one of the chronic diseases and as in chronic diseases the quality of life changes, studying the quality of life in these patients is important. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of teaching mindfulness-based stress reduction on the quality of life of patients with asthma.

The research method was semi-experimental and pre-test and post-test with control group. Among 114 asthmatic patients referring to special lung clinic in Tohid hospital of Sanandaj city and private offices of lung specialists in this city in 1395 completed the AQOL questionnaire, 26 were randomly selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups each containing 13 individuals. The experimental group received 8 sessions of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (for one and a half hours each week for two months); meanwhile control group received no intervention. SPSS v.20 and univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance were applied for data analysis.

The mean score of experimental and control groups, pre- and post-intervention in quality of life and the area of overall understanding of health were significantly different but in asthmatic symptoms, mood performance and physical activity, the difference was not significant.

According to the results of this study, it is recommended to use mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy to improve the quality of life of patients with asthma along with routine medical treatments.