Enhancing Yoga Awareness Among Future Healthcare Practitioners: A Study on MBBS Students' Knowledge and Perceptions

Abstract

Background: Yoga, and art and science rooted in ancient Indian culture, is increasingly recognized for its holistic benefits, contributing to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Despite its global popularity, knowledge and awareness of yoga amongst medical students, particularly within Health Professions Education, remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess the understanding of yoga and yoga therapy among MBBS students to help integrate these concepts into future medical practice. Aim and Objective: The study sought to evaluate the general awareness of yoga among medical students, particularly focusing on misconceptions, technical terminology, and therapeutic applications, aiming to enhance their ability to utilize yoga in a healthcare context. Materials and Methods: Conducted at the School of Yoga Therapy, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, this study involved 221 MBBS students participating in a yoga orientation program. The Yoga Awareness Questionnaire (YAQ), a 10-item pre-validated tool, was administered both before and after a single 60-minute yoga session. Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in awareness with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: The average YAQ score increased significantly from 5 to 7 post-intervention, indicating improved awareness. Increases were noted across understanding holistic yoga, Ashtanga Yoga concepts, and dispelling misconceptions. However, some variability persisted in technical terminology understanding. Conclusion: A single yoga awareness session effectively enhanced medical students' understanding of yoga, promoting a more uniform baseline knowledge. These findings suggest that integrating yoga education in healthcare curricula could prepare future practitioners to incorporate holistic practices into patient care. As the Government of India and the National Medical Commission are advocating integration of Ayush systems within modern medicine, the results of this study have several important implications.