Evaluation of a group intervention based on Mindfulness in patients with anxiety and depression cared for in mental health community center: a quasy-experimental study.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness a group intervention based on Mindfulness in patients with anxiety and depression treated in a community mental health center. Secondarily, evaluate quality of life and adherence to the intervention.

Methods: Quasi-experimental study with evaluations pre-post intervention in people over 18 years of age treated at the Les Corts Adult Mental Health Center (AMHC), Barcelona, between March 2015 and December 2019.

Inclusion Criteria: (1) anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale >10 points); (2) sign informed consent. Variables collected: (1) anxiety; (2) depression (Beck Depression Inventory); (3) quality of life (EuroQoL) and (4) adherence to the intervention. The intervention (9 weekly sessions; 75min) was carried out by two nurses. Each group consisted of 10-15 patients.

Results: 128 patients were included, of which 103 were women with a mean age of 52.23 years (SD 12.78). Comparisons pre and post measures, its showed improvements in relation to anxiety, depressive symptoms and general quality of life (p<0.001) and in its dimensions of anxiety-depression (p=0.003). The mean number of sessions attended was 6.17 (SD 2.31), and they were statistically significant and positively correlated with an improvement in anxiety (p<0.001) and depressive symptoms (EQ-5D) (p=0.021). There were no differences between age groups.

Conclusion: The group intervention based on Mindfulness improves anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as the quality of life. This improvement in the symptomatology is associated to greater adherence to the intervention.