Exploring the Effects of a Yoga Intervention on Stress and Coping Self-Efficacy on People Living With HIV: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Jufri Hidayat, Miao-Yen Chen, Chieh-Yu Liu and 4 others
PMID 41511164WHAT IT FOUND
Eight weeks of live online Hatha yoga lowered perceived stress in people with HIV versus usual care, and gains partly remained one month later.
It also improved confidence in coping, though the trial was small and single-site.
Key findings
01Perceived stress was significantly lower in the yoga group than in the usual care group at the end of the 8-week intervention and at the 1-month follow-up.
02Coping self-efficacy was significantly higher in the yoga group than in the usual care group at both follow-up points.
03The model estimated an average 9.04-point lower perceived stress score and a 7.09-point higher coping self-efficacy score with yoga.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done at one clinic in Makassar, Indonesia, so results may not apply to other HIV populations or health care settings. The analyzed sample was small, with 31 yoga-group and 30 control-group participants, and 2 yoga-group and 3 control-group participants were lost to follow-up. Participants were mostly young, male, single, and self-identified as homosexual, and baseline duration of HIV infection differed between groups. The outcomes were self-reported stress and coping; no biological stress measures such as cortisol were used. Only the data collector was blinded, so participants and the instructor knew group assignment. The control group received routine care, not another active stress-management program. The yoga program combined postures, relaxation, and mindfulness, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The study excluded people who were not physically fit, had musculoskeletal problems, had difficulty with balance, were pregnant or planning pregnancy, or lacked internet or device access.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that yoga alone treats HIV-related stress. The trial compared a live online Hatha yoga program with routine care, and both groups received oral antiretroviral therapy. The program combined postures, relaxation, and mindfulness, so the contribution of any single part cannot be separated. The sample was small, came from one clinic, and mostly included younger participants who self-identified as homosexual and had internet access.