A recent study published in PLOSOne indicates meditation and relaxation training can help reduce health care utilization, and ultimately costs. Mind-body interventions such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices have been shown to reduce stress and build resiliency.
University of Louisville School of Public Health & Information Sciences associate professor Scott LaJoie, PhD, a co-author of the paper, says few low cost public health interventions have shown such potential in reducing health care utilization. (LaJoie was quoted in this Huffington Post article: Yoga And Meditation Shown To Drastically Reduce Hospital Visits )
UofL offers faculty, staff and students mind-body wellness opportunities including yoga classes and mindfulness training. This year the Health Promotion Office started 4-week workshops for students called Koru Mindfulness & Meditation. The workshop is based on evidence-informed curriculum that was developed at Duke University specifically for “emerging adults” (students 18-29 years old) to address the anxiety and stress that interferes with academic success, health status and quality of life, giving them access to a powerful method for improving wellbeing.
