Research at The Ohio State University Center for Integrative Health focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of integrative modalities for a variety of populations. Our researchers represent expertise in the fields of mindfulness, massage therapy, integrative approaches for the management of cancer and chronic illness and implementation science.

Focused populations include:

  • Patients in the preoperative environment
  • People with multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • People with breast cancer
  • Cancer survivors
  • Health care workers
  • Firefighters
  • University Dance majors
  • African American caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients
  • People with sickle cell disease

The Ohio State Center for Integrative Health is a member of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health (ACIMH), with active participation in the consortium’s research, mindfulness, and integrative nursing special interest groups.

In addition, researchers at the Center for Integrative Health participate in the BraveNet Practice-based Research Network. This group is comprised of academic clinicians and researchers from 32 integrative centers around the United States and the world. During regular meetings, they collaborate by sharing information, clinical outcomes, cost-benefit data and ideas that have previously not been available to medical and scientific communities.

Current Funded Research Projects and Collaborations

  • “Effectiveness of a mind-body conditioning course for university dance majors”
  • Ohio Campus Community Partnership (OCCP) grant initiative, under the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Mindful College Student Program delivered to Dennison University students.
  • “Effects of peppermint softgels and Mindfulness in Motion on symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome: A multi-arm feasibility study”
  • Mindfulness in Motion for persons with multiple sclerosis
  • “Effectiveness of focused massage on pain, mobility, and quality of life during radiation treatment for patients with breast cancer”
  • “Enhancing quality of patient experience via an innovative reduction of preoperative anxiety”
  • “A virtual reality mindfulness-based intervention: The impact and acceptability for nurse managers in an academic medical center”
  • “Improving stress and hypertension outcomes in African American female caregivers of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias”
  • Mindfulness in the emergency department for patients with substance use disorder
  • Sickle cell mindfulness-based pain management via a mobile application
  • Mindfulness in Motion - 30 for health care workers
  • Mindfulness in Motion for people with multiple sclerosis

More about Integrative Health Research