Date of this Version

12-11-2024

Document Type

DNP Project

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The increased prevalence of adult patients with co-current anxiety symptoms and nicotine dependence is a significant problem in psychiatric outpatients. A review of the electronic medical records in the psychiatric outpatient setting shows that sixty percent of adults with anxiety disorders in this setting are nicotine dependent. The lack of guidelines for the management of these co-occurring conditions results in fragmented care. PURPOSE: The purpose of this DNP project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program in reducing the frequency of nicotine use and anxiety symptoms in adult patients who are concurrently struggling with nicotine dependence and anxiety disorders. METHODS: A quasi-experimental one-group, pre- and post-intervention design, which followed the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model was used to provide evidence on how mindfulness practices can support individuals with co-occurring anxiety disorders and nicotine dependence. A total of 20 participants were included in the 60 minutes Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training, which was presented in two consecutive weeks. Following the education session, the participants were required to practice mindfulness meditation three times per week for at least thirty minutes for two weeks. RESULTS: The findings revealed significant reductions in both anxiety and nicotine dependence scores post-intervention, from 0.64 (SD = 0.09) to0.35 (SD = 0.07), and statistically significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes. DISCUSSION: The results of this QI demonstrated that MBSR is an effective intervention for improving the health outcomes of patients with comorbid nicotine dependence and anxiety. Keywords: Anxiety, nicotine dependence, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

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