A primary care group-based mindfulness program was developed by community physicians and co-op and public health students in Ajax, Ontario. The program was started in January 2018 and is run through the Ajax Harwood Clinic, which is a clinic housing a Family Health Organization (FHO) comprising of 5 physicians and approximately 6,500 patients. The purposes of the program are:
1. To teach mindfulness skills for stress reduction, self-compassion, and dealing with difficult thoughts and emotions,
2. To promote an integrative concept of health, which treats the whole person
3. To promote community building and positive relationships
4. To capitalize on the power of groups to:
1. Foster peer-to-peer learning and support when it comes to coping with life challenges
2. Combat isolation
3. Increase efficiency, quality, and timeliness of care
This study evaluates the 8-week rolling admission mindfulness program, by first doing a retrospective chart review to identify effect sizes and then conducting a before-after study evaluation of the effect of the mindfulness program on key mental health outcome measures.
