This clinical trial evaluates whether a virtual stress reduction program that uses mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques works to improve mental health outcomes in cancer patients living in underserved/rural regions of Minnesota. 80% of Minnesota counties are considered mental health care shortage areas. This shortage disproportionately impacts Minnesotans living in underserved and rural regions as they have to travel further for mental health care services. Interventions that provide patients with mental health resources from the comfort of their own home help to reduce barriers that limit access to mental health care. MBSR courses can help patients control their responses to stressful events, reduce the impact of chronic stress, develop more effective ways to cope with medical/psychological conditions, and increase overall sense of well-being. MBSR courses may serve as a way to bridge the gap between mental health care and patients with cancer living in underserved/rural regions of Minnesota.
Patients with a history of cancer, or currently have cancer
Patients reporting > 4/10 emotional distress on a 0-10 scale within the past six months
Patients with a Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code of 4 or greater
Have a computer or smartphone
Non-English-speaking patients
Life expectancy < 12 months
Active psychiatric disease
Single group
Electronic Health Record Review
Other interventionAncillary studies
Mindfulness Relaxation
BehavioralReceive MBSR intervention
Questionnaire Administration
Other interventionAncillary studies
Completion Rate
Assessed by the number of participants who complete the virtual stress reduction program (MBSR) program
Change in Stress
Assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which measures global perceived stress experienced by the participant over the preceding 30 days. The PSS consists of 10 questions assessing how often the participant felt or thought a certain way during the past month. Possible answers include: 0 - never; 1 - almost never; 2 - sometimes; 3 - fairly often, and 4 - very often. Possible scores range from 0 to 40, with lower scores indicating a better outcome (less stress).
Change in Anxiety
Assessed using the General Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. The GAD-7 consists of 7 questions answered on a scale of 0-3 where 0=not at all, 1=several days, 2=more than half the days, and 3=nearly every days. The total score ranges from 0 to 21 where 0 indicates no anxiety, 1-4 indicates minimal anxiety, 5-9 indicates mild anxiety, 10-14 indicates moderate anxiety, and 15-21 indicates severe anxiety.
Change in Mindfulness
Assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), a 15-item scale designed to assess a core characteristic of dispositional mindfulness (open or receptive awareness of and attention to what is taking place in the present). The MAAS consists of 15 statements about everyday experience, with each item answered on a scale ranging from 1 (almost always) to 6 (almost never) to indicate how frequently or infrequently participants have each experience. The MAAS is scored by computing a mean (average) of all 15 items. Higher scores reflect higher levels of dispositional mindfulness.
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