Digital mindfulness in primary care: Enhancing health through technology

Mindfulness meditation, widely recognized for its effectiveness in psychological regulation, has been proven to be used in preventive medicine, which significantly reduces stress, anxiety, and depression and aid in managing chronic diseases. As digital media becomes ever more integral to daily life, its potential to distribute mindfulness techniques has expanded, allowing these health benefits to be accessed through mobile apps, social media, and online courses. This provides a personalized, accessible, and convenient method to implement mindfulness practices in primary care settings. Yet, while some studies indicate positive outcomes, there is variation in effectiveness, and further research is required to identify best practices and integration methods within primary care frameworks.

This Research Topic aims to broaden the understanding of how digital mindfulness can be leveraged as an effective intervention for psychological and physiological health within primary care systems. The focus will be on examining how such utilization can aid in managing anxiety, stress, chronic diseases, and overall health outcomes, comparing digital approaches to traditional face-to-face interventions.

To gather further insights on these integrations, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Effectiveness of mindfulness meditation programs via digital platforms in alleviating mental health issues.
o Comparative analysis of digital and traditional mindfulness interventions on emotional regulation and stability.
o The role of digital mindfulness in managing chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, including impacts on symptoms and patient self-management.
o Challenges and opportunities of implementing digital mindfulness interventions in primary care, including feasibility, acceptability, and integration with traditional treatments.
o Cultural adaptation of digital mindfulness applications across diverse populations.
o Integration of advanced technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in mindfulness interventions.
o Long-term impacts of digital mindfulness on health behavior changes including diet, exercise, and sleep patterns, and their subsequent health outcomes.
o Methodological approaches to evaluating the impact of digital mindfulness, incorporating both psychological assessments and physiological health outcomes.

Keywords: Chronic disease management, Primary care, Digital mindfulness, Traditional mindfulness, Chronic diseases

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.