IMPLEMENTING A COMMUNITY-BASED YOGA PROGRAM IN A FAMILY EMERGENCY SHELTER: A FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY CASE STUDY

C. Incorvaia¹, A. Marshall¹, J. Subialka¹, J. González¹, M. Mifflin², A. Lopes Sauers¹

¹Midwestern University, Physical Therapy, Glendale, Arizona, United States, ²Midwestern University, Osteopathic Family & Community Medicine, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glendale, Arizona, United States

Background: Family emergency shelters provide temporary shelter and services for homeless families. Studies suggest that homeless adults are more likely to report psychological distress than the general population. Distress may be related to a variety of factors including unemployment, greater cigarette and alcohol use, worse physical health, less social support, and perceived barriers to obtaining medical care. Yoga has been shown to positively affect stress reduction and quality of life in several clinical and non-clinical populations and has been the most used complementary health approach among U.S adults; however, it is less common among minorities and individuals with lower education or lower income, and is even less common in individuals with high poverty rates living in shelters. Community-based health and wellness programs are considered cost-effective solutions to reach people outside the traditional health care settings and to address health disparities.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a student led community-based yoga program in a family emergency shelter.

Methods: Residents temporarily living in a family emergency shelter in Phoenix, Arizona, United States were recruited to participate in this community-based program. Yoga was offered twice a week for 8 weeks by physical therapy students who were yoga certified instructors in the summer of 2022. The program included breathing techniques, meditation, and postures that were modified as needed with yoga blocks and chairs so that participants could perform them all. To be included, individuals met the following criteria: be >18 years old and have no self-reported exercise restriction assessed by the 2022 Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+). Pregnant women and participants who were not clear to engage in physical activity based on the PAR-Q+ were excluded. The feasibility of implementing the program was measured by tracking attendance, the ability to complete the program (attendance of at least half of the sessions of the total program). To assess acceptability, participants were provided with note cards at each session as an opportunity to provide feedback.

Results: Out of 18 adults that were residing in the Family Shelter at the time, 4 attended the first session and completed the baseline assessment of the study. Three were found eligible to participate. Participants included 2 women and 1 man, mean age was 38.7+/-5.5 years and mean BMI 25.7+/-2.8 kg/m² . The 3 participants were from racial/ethnic minorities. Two reported being physical active, but regular cigarette smokers and one reported alcohol use. Two completed the program (attended more than 9 sessions out of 16). One participant dropped the program as he moved out of the shelter. Participants accepted the program and reported experiencing increased connectedness and gaining stress coping strategies through yoga.

Conclusions: It was both feasible and acceptable by participants to implement a community-based yoga program in a family emergency shelter. Participants reported a positive impact of the yoga program in their lives through social connection and gaining stress coping strategies.

Implications: Future intervention studies should assess the effects of community-based health and wellness programs, including yoga, in individuals and communities in nontraditional settings such as family emergency shelters.

Funding acknowledgements: This project was funded by the College of Health Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, United States.

Keywords:
Community-based interventions
Yoga therapy
Health disparity

Topics:
Community based rehabilitation
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Mental health

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, United States

Committee: IRB

Ethics number: IRB#5115