Integrated Psychological, Yoga Intervention Aids Depression, Anxiety With Cancer
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2024 -- An integrated psychological and yoga intervention may reduce depressive symptoms and state anxiety among women with cancer, according to a proof-of-concept study published online Oct. 18 in Integrative Cancer Therapies.
Grace Ann Hanvey, Ph.D., from the University of Florida in Gainesville, and colleagues evaluated an integrated group yoga and psychological intervention in alleviating distress among women with gynecologic, gastrointestinal, and thoracic cancers. The analysis included 125 participants in a 10-week intervention.
The researchers found that, overall, there were reductions in total (b = −2.06) and somatic depressive symptoms (b = −1.79) and state anxiety (b = −6.21). There was an association between greater reductions in psychosocial distress related to fear of cancer recurrence (b = −0.74) and in total (b = −1.06) and affective depressive symptoms (b = −0.76) in those with higher socioeconomic status. Greater declines in somatic symptoms were seen among women of color versus non-Hispanic White women (b = −2.71), with women of color experiencing lower socioeconomic status showing the greatest reduction in these symptoms (b = 1.73).
"This study demonstrates proof-of-concept that an integrated psychological and yoga intervention may reduce depressive symptoms and state anxiety among women with gynecologic, gastrointestinal, and thoracic cancers," the authors write. "Future research should examine intervention feasibility and acceptability among diverse women with cancer and evaluate efficacy using a randomized controlled trial design."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Considerable Decline Seen in Self-Reported Maternal Mental Health
THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 -- From 2016 to 2023, there was a considerable decline in self-reported maternal mental health, while declines in physical health were smaller, according to...
High Midlife Cortisol Tied to Later Risk for Alzheimer Disease in Postmenopausal Women
THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 -- Postmenopausal women with high midlife cortisol have an increased risk for Alzheimer disease (AD), according to a study published online April 24...
Worse Mental Health Trajectories Seen for Survivors of Teen, Young Adult Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 28, 2025 -- Survivors of adolescent and young adulthood (AYA) cancer have significantly worse mental health trajectories into middle or older adulthood, according...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.