| Development of effective interventions to promote mindfulness meditation (MM) practice, as a health behavior, depends on identification of factors that enable or block acquisition of a regular practice. Prior to recommending MM, health providers need to assure that MM is not associated with diminished adherence to effective conventional medical therapy for common mental health problems.;Objectives. To examine the relationships between MM practice, defined as 5 stages of change based on the Transtheoretical Model and as lifetime practice minutes, and (1) socio-demographics, (2) psychosocial factors, including decisional balance and self-efficacy in adopting MM, Internal Health Locus of Control, satisfaction with conventional healthcare, and patient-provider communication, and (3) health-related quality of life (HRQL), drug use for symptoms of stress, and medication adherence.;Design. A cross-sectional survey.;Subjects and settings. 358 individuals aged 18 or older were approached and 265 completed the questionnaire.;Results. Most respondents were in 2 stages: 32% in preparation (non-regular practice, i.e., <120 minutes/week) and 33% in maintenance (regular practice for more than 1 year). The other 3 stages (precontemplation = no intention to practice; contemplation = having intention to start; action = regular practice but less than 1 year) were less common (11–14%). Stage of change was significantly associated with age, gender, education, income, and religion. Self-efficacy was strongly, positively associated with stage of change and practice minutes. Pros and cons had a weaker relationship. Rate of disclosing interest in MM to healthcare providers was low. HRQL was positively associated with practice, especially mental health (measured as RAND12 summary score). Practice minutes were inversely associated with drug use for anxiety, depression or sleep problems, and positively associated with high medication adherence.;Conclusions. Self-efficacy-enhancing interventions will have promise to promote MM. Healthcare providers are not perceived as knowledgeable about MM. Recommendations linking meditation practice to benefits of better mental health or less psychotropic drug use can only be made if supported by future clinical trial results. The positive relationship between MM and medication adherence suggests increased use of cognition-modifying techniques may improve adherence to chronic medication use. |
