Mindfulness for Burnout Prevention in Primary Care Providers

Evaluation of Mindfulness-based Self-care Programs for the Prevention of Burnout Among Primary Care Providers: Psychological, Inflammatory and Epigenetic Effects

Burnout Syndrome is one of the major challenges for health systems worldwide. This study strives to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8- versus 2-week mindfulness-based self-care program on burnout symptoms and psychological and biological variables.

The development of stepped-care interventions allows for the development of new strategies within mindfulness-based approaches, classically described as a weekly two-hour commitment which lasts eight weeks. Such approaches might reach larger and stratified groups, more suitable for usage in Brazilian health-system context. For such evaluations, the investigators will use a 3-arms randomized clinical trial design, with Sociodemographic and Labor variables, such as age, sex, number of offspring, adherence to the program, adherence to the mindfulness practices, Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire -(BCSQ-36), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS), Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory adapted for Brazil (FMI-Br-13), Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-Br). DNA methylation will be measured by Methylase-reaction, and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) will be quantified by ELISA-sandwich. The primary outcome will be the effectiveness of such programs on different clinical subtypes of Burnout symptoms (frenetic, under challenged and worn-out). The secondary outcome will be mindfulness levels, and adherence to the program and to the mindfulness practice, and on inflammation and epigenetic variables.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Active Primary Care Providers

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute disease (physical or mental)
• Schizophrenia or other psychotic symptoms
• Concomitant use of medication causing attentional, cognitive or concentration impairments
• Having practiced mindfulness or other contemplative techniques in the previous 12 months of the study.