The Effect of Yoga on Barriers to Occupational Engagement in African American Breast Cancer Survivors

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if occupational therapy informed yoga could decrease barriers to occupational engagement in African American breast cancer survivors. Methods: A single-arm pretest-posttest design was used to study African American breast cancer survivors who participated in six weekly group yoga sessions that were delivered by occupational therapists. Variables were selected to operationalize barriers to occupational engagement and included mental health, bodily pain, role-physical and emotional, fatigue, self-efficacy, acute pain, balance, and upper extremity disability. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis via linear mixed effects modeling were conducted to describe the participants and determine the efficacy of occupational therapy informed yoga. Results: Barriers to occupational engagement (health related quality of life, self-efficacy and balance, pain, upper-extremity disability) were evident in participants at baseline. Occupational therapy informed yoga reduced some of these barriers through significant changes in pain, mental health, and balance. Conclusion: These findings provide initial support for the development of group programming to deliver occupational therapy informed yoga to African American breast cancer survivors.