Clinical yoga program utilization in a large health care system.

ABSTRACT

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers yoga for multiple conditions. Little information is available regarding how frequently yoga is utilized, by whom, or for which medical conditions. Here we describe referral patterns and patient adoption rates in a clinical yoga program, including telehealth yoga, at VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). Referral and demographic data were extracted from the electronic medical records of 953 veterans (692 male, 261 female) referred to the outpatient clinical yoga program between 2010 and 2016. Attendance data were extracted from the same time plus 1 year. Referee demographics were compared to the overall VAPAHCS population. Twenty-two of the 187 referring providers accounted for half (50.4%) of referrals, predominantly from primary care and mental health clinics. Compared to the overall VAPAHCS patient population, referees were similar age and more likely to be female. Attendance was associated with age (older veterans were more likely to attend) but not gender. Those referred for mental health reasons were more likely to attend yoga compared to those referred for physical symptoms or for wellness (e.g., strength, health, mindfulness). Telehealth yoga follow through was lower but attendance rate similar to in-person yoga. These data provide an overview of referral and uptake in a large VA setting. Overall, referral was performed by a few providers in mental health and primary care clinics. The typical demographic of attendee was a White male from the Vietnam War era, reflective of the VA population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).