Research Area
Videoconferenced Yoga Interventions for Cancer
Research Title
Videoconferenced Yoga Interventions for Cancer Patients and their Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Report from a Clinician’s Perspective
Introduction
The outbreak of the infectious Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic in March of 2020 by the World Health Organization and a National State of Emergency for the United States shortly after. Consistent with the Center for Disease Control guidelines for healthcare facilities, academic hospitals have prioritized urgent clinic visits and ceased all on-site research activities that involve direct patient contact. In an effort to control the transmission of the virus, routine clinical visits have either been delayed or transitioned to telemedicine delivery. Similarly, in an effort to continue clinical research, the implementation of behavioral interventions including mind-body medicine such as yoga may have also shifted from an in-person to a videoconference delivery approach.
Abstract
The acceptability of videoconferencing delivery of yoga interventions in the advanced cancer setting is relatively unexplored. The current report summarizes the challenges and solutions of the transition from an in-person (ie, face-to-face) to a videoconference intervention delivery approach in response to the Coronavirus Disease pandemic.
Conclusion
Although in-person interventions are favored by both the study participants and the interventionists, videoconference sessions were deemed acceptable. All participants had the benefit of a previous in-person experience, which was helpful and perhaps necessary for older and advanced cancer patients requiring practice modifications. In a remote setting, the assistance of caregivers seems particularly beneficial to ensure practice safety.
