Mindfulness Mediation Intervention in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a progressive multi-dimensional disease with a
complex network of somatic and affective components. Anxiety is a common experience for
persons with COPD both as a reaction to dyspnea (48) and as a separate co-morbid condition
(10, 26). The presence of anxiety magnifies COPD symptoms and further impairs physical
functioning (53). Both anxiety and COPD alter breathing patterns similarly causing irregular
rapid shallow breathing at rest, which is inefficient and cannot adequately respond to
increases in ventilatory demands from physical or emotional activity (121). Both COPD and
anxiety are also associated with changes in neurological functioning. Whereas anxiety tends
to be associated with increased amygdala activity (54), COPD is associated with a decrease
in frontal cortex functioning (25, 28, 122). Persons with COPD who experience anxiety are
less able to correctly process the level of physical and emotional demand for any given
situation and their ability to meet that demand (46, 123). Pulmonary rehabilitation
addresses both the physical and emotional symptoms of COPD, however gains in function are
quickly lost over time (4). Evidence suggests that mindfulness based meditation can alter
neural pathways to facilitate processing of emotions and increase quality of life for
persons with COPD. The overall objective of this study is to assess the ability of persons
with COPD to participate in a mindfulness meditation intervention and to examine the impact
of mindfulness meditation on their anxiety levels and global sense of coherence. A modified
version of Antonovsky's sense of coherence model will be used as the framework for this
study. We will address the specific aims: 1) to determine the effects of mindfulness
meditation on breathing patterns; 2) To determine the effects of mindfulness meditation on
anxiety levels; 3) To determine self-reported adherence rates following an eight-week small
group instructional course on mindfulness meditation, and 4) To determine the effects of
mindfulness meditation on global sense of coherence levels in persons with COPD. The
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine identifies meditation as a form
of CAM that focuses on the interaction among the brain, body, mind and behavior that is
already practiced by 8% of persons who participate in CAM therapy. Meditation is rated a
special priority research area by NCCAM.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Any stage of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

- Able to read and write English

Exclusion Criteria:

- Severe mental disability

- Inability to attend