Abstract
Identifying barriers to compliance with mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) during the perioperative period is paramount to the design and implementation of non-pharmacologic, opiate-sparing pain regimens. We prospectively investigated the acceptability and adherence patterns of an app-based MBI amongst surgical patients with chronic pain. Patients were provided a subscription code to a meditation app and encouraged to use the app an average of 10 minutes/day over a 6-week study period. Patients reported a high level of interest in using the app prior to enrollment. 71% used the app at least once, 30% for half the recommended time, and 8% for the recommended amount of time. 88% of respondents enjoyed using the app and agreed it improved mental health and stress levels. Surgical patients with pre-existing pain report a high level of interest in utilizing MBIs perioperatively. Identifying barriers to compliance represents an important area of future investigation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.