On 2014 Apr 13, Tom Kindlon commented:

There are quite big differences between the two groups in terms of changes in healthcare costs:

In the abstract have collapsed the healthcare costs from the two groups, one of which is "enhanced treatment as usual" which would usually be seen as more like a control group.

Mindfulness therapy: One year prior to baseline: $4643 Baseline and one year ahead: $3937

"Enhanced treatment as usual" One year prior to baseline: $5996 Baseline and one year ahead: $3355

Also, the baseline figures may not be average figures for a typical year: this figure was in the year in the lead up to be referred to the clinic so these were likely in the period when the patients, and indeed health professionals, were looking for answers to do with their health problems.

On 2014 Apr 13, Tom Kindlon commented:

When one looks at all the transfers (i.e. unemployment, etc.) the differences between the groups effectively disappear:

The abstract only gives the percentages who received disability pension. However, there are other transfers and most people in both groups got transfers.

"Transfer payments were divided into five categories: 1: disability pension; 2: flexible work (jobs created for persons with limited working capacity); 3: sickness benefit; 4: unemployed; and 5: self-supporting. Which of these five categories each patient fit into was determined at two time points: a 12-week period immediately before baseline and a 12-week period 15 months after baseline. We chose a 12-week period over a one-week period to obtain an estimate as precise as possible of the transfer payments received during the two time periods.

"We used the transfer payment categories proposed by Hjollund et al. [18] and Carstensen [19]. Carstensen [19] grouped sickness benefit and vocational rehabilitation as temporary health-related benefits, whereas flexible work and disability pension were grouped as permanent health-related benefits."

"Flexible work and disability pension are permanent health-related benefits"

Here are the results (I haven't tried to calculate the percentages but the sample sizes in both groups are virtually the same so one can see the similarities by inspection).

Mindfulness therapy (n=59):

Baseline: Self-support: 19 Unemployed: 6 Sickness benefit: 21 Flexible work: 9 Disability pension: 4

Follow-up: Self-support: 17 Unemployed: 9 Sickness benefit: 2 Flexible work: 16 Disability pension: 15

"Enhanced treatment as usual"

Baseline: Self-support: 17 Unemployed: 6 Sickness benefit: 23 Flexible work: 7 Disability pension: 7

Follow-up: Self-support: 13 Unemployed: 4 Sickness benefit: 3 Flexible work: 13 Disability pension: 27

So if one just looks at self-support, the only one that doesn't involve transfers, there is little difference (as well as there being a (small) deterioration in both groups):

Mindfulness therapy (n=59): Baseline: 19 Follow-up: 17

"Enhanced treatment as usual" (n=60) Baseline: 17 Follow-up: 13

On 2014 Apr 13, Tom Kindlon commented:

When one looks at all the transfers (i.e. unemployment, etc.) the differences between the groups effectively disappear:

The abstract only gives the percentages who received disability pension. However, there are other transfers and most people in both groups got transfers.

"Transfer payments were divided into five categories: 1: disability pension; 2: flexible work (jobs created for persons with limited working capacity); 3: sickness benefit; 4: unemployed; and 5: self-supporting. Which of these five categories each patient fit into was determined at two time points: a 12-week period immediately before baseline and a 12-week period 15 months after baseline. We chose a 12-week period over a one-week period to obtain an estimate as precise as possible of the transfer payments received during the two time periods.

"We used the transfer payment categories proposed by Hjollund et al. [18] and Carstensen [19]. Carstensen [19] grouped sickness benefit and vocational rehabilitation as temporary health-related benefits, whereas flexible work and disability pension were grouped as permanent health-related benefits."

"Flexible work and disability pension are permanent health-related benefits"

Here are the results (I haven't tried to calculate the percentages but the sample sizes in both groups are virtually the same so one can see the similarities by inspection).

Mindfulness therapy (n=59):

Baseline: Self-support: 19 Unemployed: 6 Sickness benefit: 21 Flexible work: 9 Disability pension: 4

Follow-up: Self-support: 17 Unemployed: 9 Sickness benefit: 2 Flexible work: 16 Disability pension: 15

"Enhanced treatment as usual"

Baseline: Self-support: 17 Unemployed: 6 Sickness benefit: 23 Flexible work: 7 Disability pension: 7

Follow-up: Self-support: 13 Unemployed: 4 Sickness benefit: 3 Flexible work: 13 Disability pension: 27

So if one just looks at self-support, the only one that doesn't involve transfers, there is little difference (as well as there being a (small) deterioration in both groups):

Mindfulness therapy (n=59): Baseline: 19 Follow-up: 17

"Enhanced treatment as usual" (n=60) Baseline: 17 Follow-up: 13

On 2014 Apr 13, Tom Kindlon commented:

There are quite big differences between the two groups in terms of changes in healthcare costs:

In the abstract have collapsed the healthcare costs from the two groups, one of which is "enhanced treatment as usual" which would usually be seen as more like a control group.

Mindfulness therapy: One year prior to baseline: $4643 Baseline and one year ahead: $3937

"Enhanced treatment as usual" One year prior to baseline: $5996 Baseline and one year ahead: $3355

Also, the baseline figures may not be average figures for a typical year: this figure was in the year in the lead up to be referred to the clinic so these were likely in the period when the patients, and indeed health professionals, were looking for answers to do with their health problems.