Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Decrease Pre-Procedural Anxiety Before a First-Time Screening Colonoscopy

This clinical trial tests how well an online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) works to decrease anxiety in patients before a first-time screening colonoscopy. Elevated pre-procedural anxiety can affect patient outcomes including bowel preparation adherence and quality, the amount of sedation required, procedure time, patient satisfaction, cancellation or no-shows, and intention for future cancer screening. Mindfulness is a form of meditation that focuses on staying within the present moment to reduce anxiety. Previous research supports mindfulness practice among cancer survivors to decrease anxiety, fear of cancer re-occurrence, and to improve quality of life. Online MBIs have the potential to include targeted meditations and educational information designed to promote behavior change. This study may help researchers learn whether a mindfulness intervention works to decrease anxiety in patients before a first-time screening colonoscopy.