Development of a Brief Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Reduce Patient Anxiety Before a First-Time Screening...

Area of Science:

• Health Psychology
• Behavioral Medicine
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Pre-procedural anxiety is common among patients undergoing their first screening colonoscopy.
• Existing interventions may not adequately address patient anxiety before this procedure.
• Online delivery offers a scalable approach to support patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of an online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) designed to alleviate anxiety in average-risk patients before their initial screening colonoscopy.
• To outline the iterative, stakeholder-engaged process used to create a patient-centered and medically accurate intervention.
• To establish the foundation for a pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating the MBI's feasibility and acceptability.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, iterative approach guided by health behavior and mindfulness theories.
• Formative interviews and development sessions involving patients, endoscopy staff, and community members (n=18).
• Thematic analysis of transcribed interviews and feedback sessions using NVivo software.

Main Results:

• Two primary themes emerged: (1) Patients and staff confirm pre-colonoscopy anxiety in average-risk individuals. (2) Stakeholder engagement is crucial for intervention acceptability, medical accuracy, and workflow integration.
• The iterative, stakeholder-driven process yielded a feasible and acceptable MBI.

Conclusions:

• An iterative, stakeholder-engaged development process is essential for creating effective and acceptable health interventions.
• The developed online MBI holds potential to reduce pre-procedural anxiety, improve patient adherence and satisfaction, and optimize clinic workflow.
• Further research via a pilot randomized controlled trial is underway to assess the MBI's feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy.