Factors associated with transcendental meditation practice in older people

• Main Authors: Daniel Vicentini de Oliveira (Author), Sônia Maria Marques Gomes Bertolini (Author), Ellis Gilson Chatalov (Author), Maura Fernandes Franco (Author), Maria do Carmo Correia de Lima (Author), Gabriel Lucas Morais Freire (Author), Rogéria Vicentini de Oliveira (Author), José Roberto Andrade do Nascimento Júnior (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Hospital de Clínicas de Itajubá, 2020-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Aims: To evaluate factors associated with the practice of transcendental meditation (TM) in the elderly. Methods: Cross-sectional study, with the inclusion of 113 older adults and women, 60 of them practitioners and 53 non-MT practitioners. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as an instrument, composed of sociodemographic, health and TM practice data. Data analysis was performed using the chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Results: The average age of practitioners was lower than that of non-practitioners (63.7 ± 4.0 vs. 69.1 ± 6.6 years). Most of the sample had completed higher education (f = 45; 75%; p = 0.001) and received more than three minimum wages (f = 40; 67.8%; p = 0.001). In the group of TM practitioners there was a greater proportion of individuals with excellent / good self-perceived health (91.7% vs 77.4%; p = 0.034), and less hospitalization in the last semester (5% vs 24.5 %; p = 0.003). Older adults who denied hospitalization or the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) presented, respectively, 5.7 (95% CI OR 1.1 - 28.9) and 4.9 (95% CI OR 1.3 - 19.2) times chance to practice MT. The practice of TM is 80% more likely to be practiced by older adults with better self-perceived health (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.03 - 0.96). Conclusion: The practice of a holistic activity such as TM is associated with better self-perceived health than older adults of the same age, and less chance of hospitalization in the last semester and the presence of DM.

Item Description

2236-3785
10.21876/rcshci.v10i3.942