Development of Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion - educators (MBHP - educa): evaluation of cognitive functions and epigenetic modifications.

• Grant number: 17/16155-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Preventive Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Marcos Piva Demarzo
• Grantee: Daniela Rodrigues de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/07274-5 - Epigenetic basis of neuronal plasticity in mindfulness meditation training, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

In the last few decades, the world has seen a significant increase in the occurrence of occupational diseases related to Burnout Syndrome (professional exhaustion) and stress in educators. These disorders affect mental health and teaching activity. In this way, they need to develop socio-emotional skills to cope with the psychosocial stressors related to the school environment. Currently, mindfulness-based therapies have been recommended to help educators acquire emotional self-control, and to improve self-esteem, metacognition, attention, resilience and affectivity, in addition to better the social skills needed in the school milieu. A few published studies indicate that mindfulness practices also reduce some inflammation- and stress- related molecules such as cortisol, receptor-interacting serine/threonine kinase 2 (RIPK2), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-± (TNF-±) and epigenetic-regulation related histone deacetilases (HDAC). These indicator molecules can be measured in blood. The World Health Organisation (WHO-2013) recommends the worldwide implementation of strategies for the promotion of mental health, which are particularly aimed at preventing occupational diseases. The main objective of the proposed research project is to elaborate a program of Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion - educators (MBHP - educa) to be applied to a population of Brazilian public school educators. The efficacy of the program will be evaluated by cognitive testing. Blood tests for the above-mentioned stress-related molecules will be performed. The goal of developing the MBHP - educa Program is to promote and ameliorate the health care of public school teachers. Developing such a research proposal will contribute to debate and implement public health policies focussed on promoting the health of public school teachers in Brazil.