Specific Dimensions of Treatment Satisfaction with Yoga and Allied Therapies Predict Health Outcomes.

Abstract

Previous studies showed that patients' satisfaction with conventional medical treatment positively influences their health outcomes. However, this association is less clear for complementary and integrative medicine and has not been reported for yoga therapy. Three hundred four people (age 49.48 ± 14.73; 145 males, 159 females) were recruited from admissions to a residential wellness center in India. Their most common conditions were: (1) endocrine, nutritional, or metabolic diseases (25.99%); (2) digestive system disorders (22.37%); and (3) diseases of the musculoskeletal system or connective tissue (9.87%). Assessments were: (1) patient satisfaction with treatment after 7 days of yoga and associated therapies using a questionnaire; and (2) outcomes at baseline and after 7 days of yoga and associated therapies using the Physical Health Questionnaire, EuroQol 5D-3L questionnaire, and Global Perceived Effect scale. The intervention included therapies such as hydrotherapy and ayurveda for approximately 40% of the time. Multivariable regression analyses (controlled for variation due to age, gender, education, and baseline scores) demonstrated that treatment satisfaction positively predicted favorable health outcomes. Participant satisfaction with accessibility and convenience of treatment, as well as with communication and time spent with the doctor, positively predicted improvement in health indices such as sleep, digestion, and freedom from headache. In contrast, satisfaction with financial or technical aspects of treatment did not influence outcomes. These findings suggest that to optimize treatment satisfaction and benefits yoga therapy programs should emphasize communication and time spent with the doctor or therapist while aiming for accessibility.