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301461
Facilitators and barriers to yoga practice among health professions students
Monday, November 17, 2014
Kari Sulenes, BS
,
School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
Andrea Millen, MS
,
School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
Dharmakaya Colgan, MA
,
School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
Jillian Freitas
,
School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
Margaret Shean, MS
,
School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
Christiane Brems, PhD, ABPP
,
School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
With 6.1% national use (Barnes, et al, 2008), yoga is gaining momentum as one of the most popular complementary and alternative (CAM) practices. Recent research explored barriers and facilitators for individuals who do not practice yoga, who have been practicing for less than one year, and who have practiced over one year (Atkinson & Permuth-Levine, 2009; Quilty, et al, 2013). No research has explored these trends among health professionals in training with an eye on yogis (actively practicing), contemplators (motivated to practice but no yet doing so), and non-yogis (neither practicing nor planning to). Our survey was administered to graduate students at a health professions campus in Oregon to explore personal facilitators and barriers to practicing yoga. Findings across 470 respondents revealed that the most common barriers were related to time and cost; a reality that was more pronounced for women than men and for contemplators as compared to yogis and non-yogis. Non-yogis had more doubts about fitting in; non-yogis and contemplators had more questions about how to get started than yogis. No group held significant stereotypes that would hinder them from trying yoga. The greatest motivators across all groups were mental wellbeing (e.g., stress reduction, emotional balance), followed by athletic prowess/physical wellbeing (e.g., flexibility, physical balance). For women, connection to others was more important than for men; also true for yogis compared to contemplators. Findings are discussed in the context of how to motivate health professionals toward a yoga practice, as personal practice may be related to willingness to see yoga as a viable CAM treatment.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Discuss which facilitators and barriers to personal practice in health professional students differ from and/or are consistent with similar findings in the population.
Keyword(s): Alternative and Complementary Health, Utilization
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a student and lead presenter conducting research through Pacific University as a member of the yoga research team. It is my intention to disseminate current trends in yoga use in an objective and professional manner to improve knowledge on, and use of, alternative and complementary medicine.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
