Impact of Mindfulness on Pain In SA

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis often experience chronic pain, maladaptive pain cognitions, and diminished quality of life, yet evidence on mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in Middle Eastern dialysis populations remains limited. Objective: This trial evaluated the effectiveness of a five-week mindfulness meditation program on pain severity, pain catastrophizing, quality of life, and trait mindfulness in hemodialysis patients. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with a pre-post design was conducted with 38 adults on maintenance hemodialysis at Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah (19 intervention, 19 control). The intervention group received 30-minute mindfulness meditation sessions three times weekly during dialysis for five weeks; the control group received standard care. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-36), and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). A 2×2 mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) compared change over time within and between groups.