S T E F FA N Y M O O N A Z , P H D , C - I AY T

Yoga Therapy Research and Training

Session Overview

During this session, participants will learn:

• The recent trajectory of research evidence in yoga therapy

• The importance of evidence-informed practice in yoga therapy

• The role of higher education in yoga therapy training

Drug Trial Phases

• Phase I studies assess the safety of a drug or device on a small number of healthy volunteers to determine the effects and side effects.

• Phase II studies test the efficacy of a drug or device with a small randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

• Phase III studies involve randomized and blind testing in several hundred to several thousand patients for a more thorough understanding of the effectiveness of the drug or device, the benefits and the range of possible adverse reactions. Once Phase III is complete, a pharmaceutical company can request FDA approval for marketing the drug.

• Phase IV studies, often called Post Marketing Surveillance Trials, are conducted after a drug or device has been approved for consumer sale. Pharmaceutical companies have several objectives at this stage: (1) to compare a drug with other drugs already in the market; (2) to monitor long-term effectiveness and impact on a patient's quality of life; and (3) to determine the cost-effectiveness.

Research Progression in Yoga

• Is it safe for healthy people?

• Is it safe for clinical populations?

• Is it feasible and acceptable?

• Do people feel better?

• Does it change clinical markers?

• How does it compare to other approaches?

• What works best for what?

• Are there synergies for combined therapy?

Yoga Therapy Publications

Jeter, P. E., Slutsky, J., Singh, N., & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2015). Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: a bibliometric analysis of published research studies from 1967 to 2013. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 21(10), 586-592.

Yoga, Arthritis

<2000 2000-2005

2006-2010

2011-2015

2016-2020

TOTAL

ALL 2 11 9 45 48 115

Clinical Trials

1 2 2 14 10 29

Reviews 0 7 2 10 19 38

DASH Diet, Hypertension

<2000 2000-2005

2006-2010

2011-2015

2016-2020

TOTAL

ALL 906

Clinical Trials

190

Reviews 198

Why does evidence matter?

• Foster appropriate referrals and recommendations

• Inform funding priorities

• Affect policy decisions

• Determine insurance coverage

• Influence care-seeking

• Improve evidence-informed practice

Evidence-Informed Practice

Evidence IS Yogic

Sullivan, M., Finlayson, D., & Moonaz, S. (2017). Understanding Yoga’s Roots in Evidence-Informed Practice. Yoga Therapy Today, Summer, 2017.

Research Literacy precedes EIP

• Find

• Read

• Understand

• Interpret

• Evaluate

• Apply

Why Else?

• Clinical perspective on research teams

• Clinical perspective in peer-review

• Research perspective in design of curricula

• Respond to client concerns and questions

• Navigate and discern media messages

• Informed and discerning consumers and advocates

RL/EIP in Yoga Therapy Training

• Mostly studio-based trainings

• Not a competency for C-IAYT

• Many evidence-informed yoga therapy textbooks, but little formal training or yoga-focused CEUs

University-Based YT Programs

• Embed RL and EIP throughout curriculum

• Use EIP in mentored clinic

• Communicate with healthcare providers at hospitals

• Conduct and present small research projects

• Collaborate as interventionist or SME on future studies

Next Steps

• Continue to grow yoga therapy evidence base

• Advocate for research literacy and evidence-informed practice

• Use evidence in communication/collaboration

• Bring EIP into studio-based programs and CEU programs

• Encourage more university-based YT programs

• Educate consumers to be discerning re: YT evidence

Thank You.