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Table 1 Comparison of meditators and non-meditators by select user characteristics, use during the previous 12 months (age adjusted and standardized)a

From: Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States

 

Meditatorsb (4.10%)

Non-Meditators (95.90%)

p-value

Age-adjusted Percent (SE)

Age-adjusted Percent (SE)

Demographics

Agec

 18–24

10.15 (1.26)

13.03 (0.33)

0.040

 25–44

37.08 (1.81)

34.40 (0.39)

0.139

 45–64

42.23 (1.84)

34.54 (0.37)

<0.001

 65 or above

10.55 (1.18)

18.04 (0.29)

<0.001

Gender

 Male

38.55 (1.88)

48.65 (0.37)

<0.001

 Female

61.45 (1.88)

51.35 (0.37)

 

Raced

 White

86.30 (1.11)

80.96 (0.33)

<0.001

 Black

8.05 (0.87)

12.37 (0.28)

<0.001

 Asian

3.87 (0.60)

5.47 (0.18)

0.040

 AIAN/multiple race

1.78 (0.45)

1.21 (0.10)

0.156

Ethnicity

 Hispanic

8.19 (0.90)

15.40 (0.36)

<0.001

 Non-Hispanic

91.81 (0.90)

84.60 (0.36)

 

Education

 Less than 12 years

4.53 (0.84)

14.45 (0.29)

<0.001

 High school graduate

10.68 (1.06)

26.79 (0.37)

<0.001

 Some college

23.60 (1.43)

20.48 (0.33)

0.192

 College graduate

61.19 (1.55)

38.27 (0.38)

<0.001

Marital status

 Never married

27.18 (1.24)

22.33 (0.25)

0.012

 Married

46.56 (1.60)

53.27 (0.34)

0.004

 Cohabitating

8.45 (0.94)

7.42 (0.19)

0.161

 Divorced or separated

14.24 (1.07)

11.11 (0.02)

<0.001

 Widowed

3.57 (0.60)

5.86 (0.14)

<0.001

Family incomee

 $0–34,999

30.22 (1.54)

33.33 (0.43)

0.007

 $35,000–54,999

30.75 (1.77)

32.11 (0.37)

0.498

 $75,000 or more

39.02 (1.91)

34.56 (0.46)

0.004

Region

 Northeast

17.70 (1.52)

18.23 (0.37)

0.386

 Midwest

23.58 (1.70)

22.66 (0.41)

0.365

 South

26.15 (2.03)

36.83 (0.48)

<0.001

 West

32.56 (1.86)

22.28 (0.44)

<0.001

Health Behaviors

Physical activity

 Never

23.36 (1.58)

44.00 (0.46)

<0.001

 Some/per week

52.66 (1.99)

40.97 (0.44)

<0.001

 Regular/per day

23.98 (1.64)

15.03 (0.33)

<0.001

Alcohol consumption

 Lifetime abstainer

9.91 (1.22)

21.46 (0.35)

<0.001

 Former drinker

13.52 (1.18)

14.44 (0.28)

0.335

 Current infrequent

51.11 (1.79)

43.95 (0.37)

<0.001

 Current moderate/heavy

25.47 (1.59)

20.16 (0.34)

<0.001

Cigarette smoking

 Never smoker

53.89 (1.13)

60.09 (0.37)

0.001

 Former smoker

27.79 (1.43)

21.81 (0.29)

<0.001

 Current smoker

18.33 (1.13)

18.10 (0.30)

0.331

Cholesterol check, 12 months

66.11 (1.52)

61.93 (0.33)

0.040

Flu shot, 12 months

38.56 (1.63)

36.85 (0.34)

0.717

CAM Use, 12 Months

 Chiropractor

17.39 (1.29)

8.07 (0.21)

<0.001

 Acupuncture

7.10 (0.77)

1.26 (0.07)

<0.001

 Yoga

45.88 (1.82)

7.73 (0.21)

<0.001

 Vegetarian diet

11.42 (1.10)

1.54 (0.09)

<0.001

Health Status

 Health status

 Poor/fair

11.46 (1.11)

12.80 (0.24)

0.264

 Good/very good/excellent

88.54 (1.11)

87.20 (0.24)

 

Body weight status

 Underweight/healthy

41.18 (1.81)

34.96 (0.35)

<0.001

 Overweight

32.50 (1.67)

33.65 (0.36)

0.434

 Obese

26.33 (1.57)

31.39 (0.36)

0.003

Functional limitations

45.35 (1.59)

33.76 (0.35)

<0.001

Back pain

38.53 (1.74)

27.44 (0.33)

<0.001

Depression, 12 months

21.80 (1.42)

9.46 (0.21)

<0.001

Emergency room visits, 12 months

 0 visit

77.24 (1.36)

80.72 (0.32)

0.006

 1 visit

13.67 (1.12)

12.14 (0.24)

0.065

 2–3 visits

7.35 (0.83)

6.24 (0.19)

0.409

 4 or More Visits

1.75 (0.48)

0.90 (0.07)

0.013

Hospitalized, 12 Months

9.99 (1.10)

9.10 (0.22)

0.606

Healthcare Access

 Usual place of care

85.53 (1.09)

83.64 (0.30)

0.155

Health insurance

 Uninsured

14.73 (1.10)

17.05 (0.31)

0.384

 Public

33.45 (1.18)

33.86 (0.37)

0.014

 Private

51.82 (1.62)

49.09 (0.41)

0.001

Office visits, 12 months

 0 visit

10.64 (0.98)

20.28 (0.32)

<0.001

 1–3 visits

37.71 (1.64)

44.02 (0.38)

0.001

 4–9 visits

25.76 (1.55)

22.85 (0.31)

0.053

 10 or more visits

25.89 (1.56)

12.85 (0.24)

<0.001

  1. aAge adjusted by using the projected 2000 US population as the standard population with the following age groups: 18–24, 25–44, 45–64, ≥65
  2. bMeditators include any use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation, past 12 months
  3. cAge categories were not standardized to the 2000 population
  4. dRace category “not releasable” were not displayed due to small sample size
  5. eEstimates were generated using the first imputed income file
  6. AIAN American Indian and Alaska Native
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