Three popular therapies lead to significant improvements in veterans

26th August 2020

In a recent article, News Medical reported on the findings of a study that examined the impact of complementary therapies on Veteran's self-reported health and wellbeing. 

The study, that focussed on patient reported outcomes, found that yoga, tai chi and meditation lead to signicant improvements in key outcomes perceived by the Veterans taking part. 

Dr A Rani Elwy who led the research said, "Our study showed that meditation, tai chi, and yoga appear to improve overall physical and mental health and reduced perceived stress".

Overall, Veterans in the study reported using 14 different therapies. Yoga was the most popular, with nearly half of Veterans participating. This was followed by meditation, acupuncture, and tai chi. Three therapies were associated with significant improvements in patient reported outcomes:

  • Yoga was related to decreases in perceived stress.
  • Tai chi was linked to improvements in overall physical and mental health functioning, anxiety levels, and ability to participate in social role activities.
  • Meditation was also associated with improvements in physical functioning.

The study was reported in a supplement that presents 11 original research papers and commentaries on the VA's progress in implementing and evaluating the impact of Complementary and Integrated Health (CIH) therapies on Veterans' health outcomes.

Dr Elwy concluded, "It is time to focus on health and well-being, as defined by Veterans, and reaching these goals must include participation in CIH treatment approaches."

The full article in News Medical can be read here: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200824/Three-popular-therapies-lead-to-significant-improvements-in-veterans.aspx

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