Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in US Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations: A Systematic Review of Implementation Data to Address Health Disparities

Abstract

\n Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a persistent public health challenge. Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBI) have been researched for CVD risk factors, though their effectiveness, generalizability, and potential for implementation to racial and ethnic minorities remain unclear. This review examines studies of MBI on CVD risk for characteristics of and variations in implementation (i.e., intervention design, delivery, uptake, and contextual factors) and analyzes potential barriers and challenges to implementation. A systematic review in February 2020 identified 30 studies from 5 databases and hand searches. Included studies were randomized controlled trials testing meditation or mindfulness-based interventions against any control to measure change or improvement in cardiovascular health measures or risk behaviors in adults living in the United States or territories. Analysis of the implementation characteristics and contextual factors of included studies was conducted using the Oxford Implementation Index. Thirty reports from 26 distinct trials were selected for inclusion, examining outcomes related to diet (k [number of studies]\u2009=\u200913), smoking (k\u2009=\u200911), obesity (k\u2009=\u20099), exercise (k\u2009=\u20094), diabetes (k\u2009=\u20093), and blood lipids (k\u2009=\u20092). All studies were published between 2011 and 2020 and correspond to early stages of research. As such, numerous limitations and implementation characteristics with potential consequence for CVD risk disparities were reported. This review outlines several potential targets for future research. Based on reported findings across all included studies, MBI could be of benefit for cardiovascular disease risk. Further research is needed to explore acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness in minority populations.