ArticleJournal of women's health (2002)2019
Gender Differences in Prevalence, Patterns, Purposes, and Perceived Benefits of Meditation Practices in the United States.
Article in Journal of women's health (2002), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 92 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic Review for the Medical Applications of Meditation in Randomized Controlled Trials.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Stress management interventions for adults with heart failure: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2021Pooled it
- A Multi-Site, Randomized, Parallel-Group, Controlled Trial of Virtually-Delivered Sahaj Samadhi Meditation for the Management of Moderate Depressive Symptoms in Chronic Pain.Journal of pain research · 2025Trial
- Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Breathing and a Meditation Program for Burnout Among Physicians: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2024Trial
- An online mind-body program improves mental health and quality of life in primary biliary cholangitis: A randomized controlled trial.Hepatology communications · 2023Trial
- Improving stress management, anxiety, and mental well-being in medical students through an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention: a randomized study.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Effect of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Program on Stress in Health Care Professionals at a US Biomedical Research Hospital: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2020Trial
- Engagement With a Relaxation-Based Mobile Health Intervention for Perioperative Anxiety: Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Mixed Methods Study.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Article
- Translation and psychometric validation of the Taiwanese daily stress inventory in a young university sample.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Well-Being Activities Among Internal Medicine Physicians: Results of a National Survey.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Innovations, quality & outcomes · 2025Article
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program to Improve Well-Being and Health in Healthcare Professionals.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Lifestyle medicine pillars for women's heart health.American journal of preventive cardiology · 2025Article
- Characteristics Associated With the Use of the Mindfulness Meditation App Headspace in a Large Public Health Deployment: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Online mindfulness interventions in the care of people with physical and mental health conditions: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Patterns of Respiration Rate Reactivity in Response to a Cognitive Stressor Associate With Self-Reported Mental Health Outcomes.Psychological reports · 2025Article
- Healthy Pills: A Physical Activity and Meditation Program to Enhance Mental Health and Well-Being in Spanish University Students.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Seniors-An Exploratory Semi-Randomized Examination of Decentering Effects on Cognitive Functions and Psychological Distress.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Mindfulness, Loving-Kindness, and Compassion-Based Meditation Interventions and Adult Attachment Orientations: A Systematic Map.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Public knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward heat stroke in Ningbo, China: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Developing and evaluating a Portuguese-language meditation App for medical students: motivation, adherence, and emotional effects.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionMeditation is a common type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and the evidence for its usefulness for health promotion is growing. Women have higher rates of overall CAM use than men do, but little is known about gender differences in meditation practices, reasons for use, or perceived benefits.
methodsData from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used. The NHIS design is a multistage probability sample representative of US adults aged ≥18 (n = 34,342). Design-based F-test and logistic regression were used; all analyses were weighted and were performed in 2017-2018.
resultsOverall, 10.3% of women and 5.2% of men reported using some type of meditation in the past year (p < 0.001). Among meditators, a higher percentage of women used meditation with yoga, tai chi, or qi gong, but men were more likely to use specific types of stand-alone practices (e.g., mindfulness) than women (p < 0.001 for each type). The most common reason reported for using meditation was to reduce stress (35%). Although women and men reported similar reasons for meditating, there were gender differences in the prevalence of some reasons. Both men and women perceived meditation to be helpful (90% and 94%, respectively).
conclusionsThere are gender differences in prevalence, purpose, and perceived benefits of using meditation. US adults aged ≥18 use meditation and find it helpful. Although currently less prevalent among men, providers can consider meditation as a tool for health promotion in both men and women.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.