Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Pain

Limited research exists to understand the costs associated with Mindfulness-Based Intervention implementation. One study suggests Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) could be cost-effective compared to usual care.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions – Evidence Rating: Low Quality

Evidence describing mindfulness-based interventions for pain comes from systematic reviews citing low quality evidence. These reviews draw from randomized control trials that sampled populations including back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, arthritic conditions, and cancer pain. The quality of the included studies was limited by heterogeneity of the interventions (including dosage and delivery format), small sample sizes, lack of blinding, and lack of long-term outcomes. Real-world studies of MBIs have mostly investigated patient-level factors that affect its use, and additional research is needed to better understand for whom MBIs are most efficacious, as well as provider- and system-level barriers to its use.

Evidence-based Scale

Few studies have examined the costs associated with implementing Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), and many are provided at no cost to participants as part of research studies. One cost-effectiveness study in an integrated healthcare system found Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to be cost-effective (net savings of $724) for improvements in quality of life in chronic low back pain compared to usual care, and is equivalent to usual care for health care utilization and productivity.