Evaluating the effects of a mindfulness mobile application on student pharmacists' stress, burnout, and mindfulness.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) in improving student pharmacists' perceived stress, burnout, and mindfulness.
Results Summary
The intervention group reported significantly lower stress and burnout scores and higher mindfulness scores at 6 weeks compared to the control group, with effects persisting at follow-up. Most participants continued using the app post-intervention, though usage declined.
Population
Student pharmacists
Effective Dosage
Daily meditation using the Headspace app
Duration
6 weeks (intervention) with follow-up at 10 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | decrease | stress | student pharmacists | - | significantly lower scores | #1 |
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | decrease | burnout | student pharmacists | - | significantly lower scores | #2 |
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | increase | mindfulness | student pharmacists | - | significantly higher scores | #3 |
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | no change | differences in stress, burnout, and mindfulness | student pharmacists | - | persisted | #4 |
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | neutral | application use | intervention group | 90% over the intervention period | mean percentage of students who used the application each day | #5 |
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | neutral | application use | intervention group | 62% over the follow-up period | mean percentage of students who used the application each day | #6 |
daily use of a mindfulness mobile application (Headspace) | no change | positive effects on stress and mindfulness | student pharmacists | - | persisted | #7 |
PURPOSE: Pharmacists report high levels of burnout. Mindfulness approaches have been demonstrated to have positive results in the general population and in other healthcare professions. However, limited studies have been performed evaluating mindfulness approaches in student pharmacists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of daily use of a mindfulness mobile application in improving student pharmacists' perceived stress, burnout, and mindfulness. METHODS: This study was a randomized, longitudinal, waitlist-controlled trial. The intervention group was asked to meditate using the mindfulness application Headspace daily for at least 6 weeks. The waitlist control group was asked to abstain from using the application for the entire study. Stress, burnout, and mindfulness were assessed using validated survey instruments at baseline, 6 weeks, and 10 weeks. A secondary outcome was to assess the persistence of application use after the intervention period. RESULTS: Fifty-six participants completed the study. The intervention group reported significantly lower scores on stress and burnout at 6 weeks compared to the control group. The intervention group also reported significantly higher scores on mindfulness. The differences in stress, burnout, and mindfulness persisted at follow-up. The mean percentage of students in the intervention group who used the application each day was 90% over the intervention period and 62% over the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: A mindfulness mobile application significantly improved student pharmacists' stress, burnout, and mindfulness with daily use. Most participants continued to use the application for 4 weeks after the end of the intervention. Positive effects on stress and mindfulness persisted even with decreased use.