Ann Blair Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH, Executive Editor, IJTMB
Amanda Baskwill, PhD(c), RMT is influencing the massage therapy profession from seemingly all angles; she is a researcher, massage therapist, educator, innovator, and mentor. Baskwill previously was a full-time faculty member at Humber College in Ontario, Canada, and now holds the position of Associate Dean in the Allied Health School of Health Sciences at the same institution. She has published widely on research centered on the massage therapy profession, as well as the safety and effectiveness of massage therapy as a treatment for various conditions. This interview explores the development, career, and research of the innovative educator and scholar, Amanda Baskwill.
{"title":"Mentor, Scholar, Academic, and a Massage Therapist: an Interview with Amanda Baskwill, PhD(c), MSc, RMT","authors":"Ann Blair Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH, Executive Editor, IJTMB","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.451","url":null,"abstract":"Amanda Baskwill, PhD(c), RMT is influencing the massage therapy profession from seemingly all angles; she is a researcher, massage therapist, educator, innovator, and mentor. Baskwill previously was a full-time faculty member at Humber College in Ontario, Canada, and now holds the position of Associate Dean in the Allied Health School of Health Sciences at the same institution. She has published widely on research centered on the massage therapy profession, as well as the safety and effectiveness of massage therapy as a treatment for various conditions. This interview explores the development, career, and research of the innovative educator and scholar, Amanda Baskwill.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"12 1","pages":"1 - 3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.451","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43379210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background Results of various studies indicate that emergency medical service (EMS) staff suffer from occupational stress that adversely affects their quality of life and their care quality. Purpose This study aimed at determining the effect of massage on occupational stress experienced by emergency medical service staff. Setting Prehospital emergency medical services stations of a city in the southwest of Iran. Participants A total of 58 members of staff of the emergency medical services, working in prehospital emergency medical services stations. Research Design In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 58 EMS staff were selected from prehospital EMS stations, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then assigned in two groups (29 in massage and 29 in control group) randomly by the minimization method. The intervention group received Swedish massage, twice a week for four weeks in the morning after the end of the work shift. Each massage session lasted 20–25 minutes. Subjects in the control group received no intervention. The level of occupational stress of the two groups was measured under the same conditions before and after the intervention by using the expanded nurses’ occupational stress scale (ENSS). Data were analyzed with the SPSS16 software by using the chi-squared test, paired and independent-sample t tests, one-way ANCOVA. P value < .05 was considered as the level of significance. Results The mean and SD of total occupational stress scores in the control group was 114.41±30.11 in pretest and reach to 112.58± 30.62 in posttest stage. Also the mean and SD of total occupational stress scores in the intervention group was 130.20±26.45 in pretest and reach to 110.41±21.75 in posttest stage. A one-way ANCOVA showed that there is a significant effect of massage on EMS staff’s occupational stress level after controlling for pretest score (p = .001). Conclusions The training and the application of massage therapy can serve as an effective method in reducing occupational stress in emergency medical centers.
{"title":"Massage Therapy in Management of Occupational Stress in Emergency Medical Services Staffs: a Randomized Controlled Trial","authors":"M. Mahdizadeh, A. Jaberi, T. N. Bonabi","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.421","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.421","url":null,"abstract":"Background Results of various studies indicate that emergency medical service (EMS) staff suffer from occupational stress that adversely affects their quality of life and their care quality. Purpose This study aimed at determining the effect of massage on occupational stress experienced by emergency medical service staff. Setting Prehospital emergency medical services stations of a city in the southwest of Iran. Participants A total of 58 members of staff of the emergency medical services, working in prehospital emergency medical services stations. Research Design In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 58 EMS staff were selected from prehospital EMS stations, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then assigned in two groups (29 in massage and 29 in control group) randomly by the minimization method. The intervention group received Swedish massage, twice a week for four weeks in the morning after the end of the work shift. Each massage session lasted 20–25 minutes. Subjects in the control group received no intervention. The level of occupational stress of the two groups was measured under the same conditions before and after the intervention by using the expanded nurses’ occupational stress scale (ENSS). Data were analyzed with the SPSS16 software by using the chi-squared test, paired and independent-sample t tests, one-way ANCOVA. P value < .05 was considered as the level of significance. Results The mean and SD of total occupational stress scores in the control group was 114.41±30.11 in pretest and reach to 112.58± 30.62 in posttest stage. Also the mean and SD of total occupational stress scores in the intervention group was 130.20±26.45 in pretest and reach to 110.41±21.75 in posttest stage. A one-way ANCOVA showed that there is a significant effect of massage on EMS staff’s occupational stress level after controlling for pretest score (p = .001). Conclusions The training and the application of massage therapy can serve as an effective method in reducing occupational stress in emergency medical centers.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"12 1","pages":"16 - 22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.421","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42877681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Introduction The Future of MT and Bodywork Forum, held July 27 during the 2017 Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE) Educational Congress in Tucson, Arizona, systematically gathered the thoughts and opinions of various massage education stakeholders through an exercise following the principles of the World Café model. Methods Forum attendees participated in three, concurrent 30-minute Breakout Group Sessions (Rounds) in three different adjacent rooms, focused on Continuing Education, Schools, or Employment. During each session, participants rotated for 3, 2.5, 2, and 1.5 minutes between four tables, asking what should be stopped, started, done differently, or changed in massage education related to the focus topic. Participants recorded their responses in marker on large Post-it® notes (3M, Maplewood, MN). These were reviewed by each of that round’s participants who awarded “importance points” to each response, with 6 blue and 3 orange dots each worth 1 and 3 points, respectively. The Post-it® notes with comments and point allocations were transcribed into a data spreadsheet and analyzed for descriptive statistics and top scoring comments from each room. Results 85–91 attendees participated in the three breakout sessions resulting in 674 comments with 3,744 assigned value points. The top five scoring comments from each room per session (N = 45) determined stakeholder’s most critical views. Stop comments made up the smallest total comments proportion (19%), yet largest top scoring comment proportion (36%)—potentially highlighting unified frustration for various massage education practices. Comparatively, Start comments made up 26% of total comments, but the smallest highest scoring proportion (18%)-perhaps suggesting stakeholders feel it more important to improve what is already being done rather than beginning new endeavors in these areas. Conclusion Stakeholder opinions on the future of massage therapy education can be systematically gathered in large conference settings and organized, analyzed, and disseminated to inform field decision-making.
{"title":"What Should We Do Different, More, Start and Stop? Systematic Collection and Dissemination of Massage Education Stakeholder Views from the 2017 Alliance for Massage Therapy Educational Congress†","authors":"N. Munk, Jasmine Dyson-Drake, D. Mastnardo","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.441","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.441","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction The Future of MT and Bodywork Forum, held July 27 during the 2017 Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE) Educational Congress in Tucson, Arizona, systematically gathered the thoughts and opinions of various massage education stakeholders through an exercise following the principles of the World Café model. Methods Forum attendees participated in three, concurrent 30-minute Breakout Group Sessions (Rounds) in three different adjacent rooms, focused on Continuing Education, Schools, or Employment. During each session, participants rotated for 3, 2.5, 2, and 1.5 minutes between four tables, asking what should be stopped, started, done differently, or changed in massage education related to the focus topic. Participants recorded their responses in marker on large Post-it® notes (3M, Maplewood, MN). These were reviewed by each of that round’s participants who awarded “importance points” to each response, with 6 blue and 3 orange dots each worth 1 and 3 points, respectively. The Post-it® notes with comments and point allocations were transcribed into a data spreadsheet and analyzed for descriptive statistics and top scoring comments from each room. Results 85–91 attendees participated in the three breakout sessions resulting in 674 comments with 3,744 assigned value points. The top five scoring comments from each room per session (N = 45) determined stakeholder’s most critical views. Stop comments made up the smallest total comments proportion (19%), yet largest top scoring comment proportion (36%)—potentially highlighting unified frustration for various massage education practices. Comparatively, Start comments made up 26% of total comments, but the smallest highest scoring proportion (18%)-perhaps suggesting stakeholders feel it more important to improve what is already being done rather than beginning new endeavors in these areas. Conclusion Stakeholder opinions on the future of massage therapy education can be systematically gathered in large conference settings and organized, analyzed, and disseminated to inform field decision-making.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"12 1","pages":"29 - 39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V12I1.441","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46294855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Abstracts from the Poster Session of the 2018 American Massage Therapy Association National Convention","authors":"V. Authors","doi":"10.3822/ijtmb.v11i4.431","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/ijtmb.v11i4.431","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>-</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91218109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fernando Cabo, MSc, Amanda Baskwill, MSc, Slava Christophe-Tchakaloff, LLM, Isaac Aguaristi, Jean-Philippe Guichard
Background Although shiatsu has been taught in specialized schools in Japan since 1940, there is a limited amount of research for its practice. As a result, authors substitute shiatsu with acupressure to use available research on acupressure. It is the position of the authors that, while the two share common aspects, they are substantively different. This project was undertaken to describe technical differences and advocate for a clear distinction, especially in research studies and academic discussions. Methods To understand whether it is appropriate to include acupressure studies in the evidence for shiatsu an analysis of the references included in a frequently cited systematic review was conducted to collect information about the protocols. In addition, a preliminary exploration of shiatsu practitioners’ perceptions about the differences between shiatsu and acupressure is described. This exploration used videos of shiatsu and acupressure techniques and asked practitioners to comment on their perception of similarity. Discussion The results identified several key technical differences between the two, including type of pressure applied, the positioning of the thumb, and the way in which body weight is used. Researchers should separate shiatsu and acupressure in their designs and purposively choose one or the other. To facilitate such clarification, we have proposed a definition for shiatsu that may facilitate the differentiation between these two techniques. Conclusion The authors hope to stimulate discussion about the differences between shiatsu and acupressure, and to question the appropriateness of using acupressure studies as evidence of the efficacy of shiatsu. A true understanding of the efficacy of shiatsu cannot be determined until studies use a common definition of shiatsu and discontinue substituting acupressure research for evidence of shiatsu efficacy. When this happens, it is proposed that a clearer picture of the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of both shiatsu and acupressure will emerge.
{"title":"Shiatsu and Acupressure: Two Different and Distinct Techniques","authors":"Fernando Cabo, MSc, Amanda Baskwill, MSc, Slava Christophe-Tchakaloff, LLM, Isaac Aguaristi, Jean-Philippe Guichard","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V11I2.391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I2.391","url":null,"abstract":"Background Although shiatsu has been taught in specialized schools in Japan since 1940, there is a limited amount of research for its practice. As a result, authors substitute shiatsu with acupressure to use available research on acupressure. It is the position of the authors that, while the two share common aspects, they are substantively different. This project was undertaken to describe technical differences and advocate for a clear distinction, especially in research studies and academic discussions. Methods To understand whether it is appropriate to include acupressure studies in the evidence for shiatsu an analysis of the references included in a frequently cited systematic review was conducted to collect information about the protocols. In addition, a preliminary exploration of shiatsu practitioners’ perceptions about the differences between shiatsu and acupressure is described. This exploration used videos of shiatsu and acupressure techniques and asked practitioners to comment on their perception of similarity. Discussion The results identified several key technical differences between the two, including type of pressure applied, the positioning of the thumb, and the way in which body weight is used. Researchers should separate shiatsu and acupressure in their designs and purposively choose one or the other. To facilitate such clarification, we have proposed a definition for shiatsu that may facilitate the differentiation between these two techniques. Conclusion The authors hope to stimulate discussion about the differences between shiatsu and acupressure, and to question the appropriateness of using acupressure studies as evidence of the efficacy of shiatsu. A true understanding of the efficacy of shiatsu cannot be determined until studies use a common definition of shiatsu and discontinue substituting acupressure research for evidence of shiatsu efficacy. When this happens, it is proposed that a clearer picture of the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of both shiatsu and acupressure will emerge.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"4 - 10"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I2.391","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48752861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As part of our interview editorial series, we bring forth a discussion with Dr. Glenn M. Hymel, the Founding Executive Editor of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Dr. Hymel embodies the qualities set forth for the American Massage Therapy Association Dianne Polseno Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2017. He has provided leadership and shown outstanding professionalism, and is a dedicated volunteer and a fervent advocate for research and education in the massage therapy profession. In this interview he discusses his massage therapy research, his interests, and his hopes for the future and the profession.
{"title":"Bolstering the Three Pillars of the Essential Architecture of the Massage Therapy Profession: an Interview with Glenn M. Hymel, EdD, LMT","authors":"A. Kennedy","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.402","url":null,"abstract":"As part of our interview editorial series, we bring forth a discussion with Dr. Glenn M. Hymel, the Founding Executive Editor of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Dr. Hymel embodies the qualities set forth for the American Massage Therapy Association Dianne Polseno Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2017. He has provided leadership and shown outstanding professionalism, and is a dedicated volunteer and a fervent advocate for research and education in the massage therapy profession. In this interview he discusses his massage therapy research, his interests, and his hopes for the future and the profession.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"1 - 3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.402","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47832338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Introduction Massage techniques fall within the scope of many different health care providers. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and chiropractors receive insurance reimbursement for health care services, including massage. Although many patients pay out of pocket for massage services, it is unclear how the insurance company reimbursement policies factor provider qualifications into coverage. This project examined regional insurance reimbursement guidelines for massage therapy in relation to the role of the provider of massage services. Methods A qualitative content analysis was used to explore guidelines for 26 health insurance policies across seven US companies providing coverage in the northeastern United States. Publicly available information relevant to massage was obtained from insurance company websites and extracted into a dataset for thematic analysis. Data obtained included practice guidelines, techniques, and provider requirements. Information from the dataset was coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the policies reviewed, 23% explicitly stated massage treatments were limited to 15-minute increments, 19% covered massage as one part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan, and 27% required physician prescription. Massage techniques mentioned as qualifying for reimbursement included: Swedish, manual lymphatic drainage, mobilization/manipulation, myofascial release, and traction. Chiropractors, physical therapists, and occupational therapists could directly bill for massage. Massage therapists were specifically excluded as covered providers for seven (27%) policies. Conclusion Although research supports massage for the treatment of a variety of conditions, the provider type has not been separately addressed. The reviewed policies that served the Northeastern states explicitly stated massage therapists could not bill insurance companies directly. The same insurance companies examined reimbursement for massage therapists in their western U.S. state policies. Other health care providers were able to bill directly for massage services to companies that did not accept direct billing by massage therapists. The specific exclusion of massage therapists as eligible providers violates the Affordable Care Act’s non-discriminatory provision. Massage therapists should continue to advocate for reimbursement privileges to spur wider acceptance of massage therapy in health care.
{"title":"A Regional Analysis of U.S. Insurance Reimbursement Guidelines for Massage Therapy","authors":"R. Miccio, Virginia S. Cowen","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.380","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Massage techniques fall within the scope of many different health care providers. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and chiropractors receive insurance reimbursement for health care services, including massage. Although many patients pay out of pocket for massage services, it is unclear how the insurance company reimbursement policies factor provider qualifications into coverage. This project examined regional insurance reimbursement guidelines for massage therapy in relation to the role of the provider of massage services. Methods A qualitative content analysis was used to explore guidelines for 26 health insurance policies across seven US companies providing coverage in the northeastern United States. Publicly available information relevant to massage was obtained from insurance company websites and extracted into a dataset for thematic analysis. Data obtained included practice guidelines, techniques, and provider requirements. Information from the dataset was coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the policies reviewed, 23% explicitly stated massage treatments were limited to 15-minute increments, 19% covered massage as one part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan, and 27% required physician prescription. Massage techniques mentioned as qualifying for reimbursement included: Swedish, manual lymphatic drainage, mobilization/manipulation, myofascial release, and traction. Chiropractors, physical therapists, and occupational therapists could directly bill for massage. Massage therapists were specifically excluded as covered providers for seven (27%) policies. Conclusion Although research supports massage for the treatment of a variety of conditions, the provider type has not been separately addressed. The reviewed policies that served the Northeastern states explicitly stated massage therapists could not bill insurance companies directly. The same insurance companies examined reimbursement for massage therapists in their western U.S. state policies. Other health care providers were able to bill directly for massage services to companies that did not accept direct billing by massage therapists. The specific exclusion of massage therapists as eligible providers violates the Affordable Care Act’s non-discriminatory provision. Massage therapists should continue to advocate for reimbursement privileges to spur wider acceptance of massage therapy in health care.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"11 1","pages":"11 - 16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.380","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47096136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse (or six months if a woman is 35 or older).(1-3) Women who can get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile.(1-3) Reported prevalence of infertility rates vary, but most are around15% of couples after one year of unprotected intercourse.(2,3) Fertility decreases with age for both men and women, declining around 35 years.(3) For women, by the age of 40 their fertility has decreased significantly and some report this as falling by half.(3) Pregnancy success rates (or conception rates) can be reported by cycle (e.g., the rate per month) or cumulatively (chances of conceiving over a period of time). These rates are very different, and care needs to be taken to ensure clear reporting of rates so that confusion does not occur. Rates are also different for natural conceptions and assisted reproductive conceptions (e.g., in vitro fertilization (IVF)). Reported cumulative natural conception rates are used less in the literature and are based on having vaginal intercourse each month over a 12-month period. Both forms of reporting for natural and assisted conceptions show a similar trend, whereby younger women have a greater chance of conceiving and older women have less chance.(1,2) Infertility can affect the couples’ psychological well-being and sexual relationship(4) and cause significant personal anguish.(2) The overwhelming desire to conceive and the psychological stress that accompanies infertility mean that these couples/ individuals are a vulnerable group and, as such, there is an ethical, moral, and legal requirement for professional, open, and truthful promotion, marketing, and advertising about the benefits of infertility treatments. This includes the potential role of massage for the treatment of infertility. Massage specialization seems to be increasing as massage therapists hone their skills in a particular area and as they distinguish themselves from their competitors. One area of specialization is infertility massage. The aim of this commentary is to discuss the evidence, or lack thereof, for infertility massage, the implications for treatment, and the risks and ethical issues associated with the promotion, advertising, and treatment of fertility massage. Massage aND PsyChOlOgICal sTRessINDUCeD INfeRTIlITy
{"title":"Fertility Massage: an Unethical Practice?","authors":"S. Fogarty","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.396","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.396","url":null,"abstract":"Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse (or six months if a woman is 35 or older).(1-3) Women who can get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile.(1-3) Reported prevalence of infertility rates vary, but most are around15% of couples after one year of unprotected intercourse.(2,3) Fertility decreases with age for both men and women, declining around 35 years.(3) For women, by the age of 40 their fertility has decreased significantly and some report this as falling by half.(3) Pregnancy success rates (or conception rates) can be reported by cycle (e.g., the rate per month) or cumulatively (chances of conceiving over a period of time). These rates are very different, and care needs to be taken to ensure clear reporting of rates so that confusion does not occur. Rates are also different for natural conceptions and assisted reproductive conceptions (e.g., in vitro fertilization (IVF)). Reported cumulative natural conception rates are used less in the literature and are based on having vaginal intercourse each month over a 12-month period. Both forms of reporting for natural and assisted conceptions show a similar trend, whereby younger women have a greater chance of conceiving and older women have less chance.(1,2) Infertility can affect the couples’ psychological well-being and sexual relationship(4) and cause significant personal anguish.(2) The overwhelming desire to conceive and the psychological stress that accompanies infertility mean that these couples/ individuals are a vulnerable group and, as such, there is an ethical, moral, and legal requirement for professional, open, and truthful promotion, marketing, and advertising about the benefits of infertility treatments. This includes the potential role of massage for the treatment of infertility. Massage specialization seems to be increasing as massage therapists hone their skills in a particular area and as they distinguish themselves from their competitors. One area of specialization is infertility massage. The aim of this commentary is to discuss the evidence, or lack thereof, for infertility massage, the implications for treatment, and the risks and ethical issues associated with the promotion, advertising, and treatment of fertility massage. Massage aND PsyChOlOgICal sTRessINDUCeD INfeRTIlITy","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"11 1","pages":"17 - 20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.396","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42709150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background Massage therapy can be helpful in alleviating cancer-related symptoms and cancer treatment-related symptoms. While surveys have noted that cancer patients seek out massage as a nonpharmacologic approach during cancer treatment, little is known about the integration of massage in outpatient cancer care. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which massage is being integrated into outpatient cancer care at NCI-designated Cancer Centers. Setting This study used descriptive methods to analyze the integration of massage in NCI-designated Cancer Centers providing clinical services to patients (n = 62). Design Data were collected from 91.1% of the centers (n = 59) using content analysis and a telephone survey. A dataset was developed and coded for analysis. Main Outcome Measure The integration of massage was assessed by an algorithm that was developed from a set of five variables: 1) acceptance of treatment as therapeutic, 2) institution offers treatment to patients, 3) clinical practice guidelines in place, 4) use of evidence-based resources to inform treatment, and 5) shared knowledge about treatment among health care team. All centers were scored against all five variables using a six-point scale, with all variables rated equally. Results The integration of massage ranged from not at all (0) to very high (5) with all five levels of integration evident. Only 11 centers (17.7% of total) rated a very high level of integration; nearly one-third of the centers (n = 22) were found to have no integration of massage at all—not even provision of information about massage to patients through the center website. Conclusions The findings of this analysis suggest that research on massage is not being leveraged to integrate massage into outpatient cancer care.
{"title":"Integration of Massage Therapy in Outpatient Cancer Care","authors":"Virginia S. Cowen, Barbara Tafuto","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.393","url":null,"abstract":"Background Massage therapy can be helpful in alleviating cancer-related symptoms and cancer treatment-related symptoms. While surveys have noted that cancer patients seek out massage as a nonpharmacologic approach during cancer treatment, little is known about the integration of massage in outpatient cancer care. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which massage is being integrated into outpatient cancer care at NCI-designated Cancer Centers. Setting This study used descriptive methods to analyze the integration of massage in NCI-designated Cancer Centers providing clinical services to patients (n = 62). Design Data were collected from 91.1% of the centers (n = 59) using content analysis and a telephone survey. A dataset was developed and coded for analysis. Main Outcome Measure The integration of massage was assessed by an algorithm that was developed from a set of five variables: 1) acceptance of treatment as therapeutic, 2) institution offers treatment to patients, 3) clinical practice guidelines in place, 4) use of evidence-based resources to inform treatment, and 5) shared knowledge about treatment among health care team. All centers were scored against all five variables using a six-point scale, with all variables rated equally. Results The integration of massage ranged from not at all (0) to very high (5) with all five levels of integration evident. Only 11 centers (17.7% of total) rated a very high level of integration; nearly one-third of the centers (n = 22) were found to have no integration of massage at all—not even provision of information about massage to patients through the center website. Conclusions The findings of this analysis suggest that research on massage is not being leveraged to integrate massage into outpatient cancer care.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"11 1","pages":"4 - 10"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V11I1.393","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42340412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Some massage therapists (MTs) view research as a way to demonstrate to other healthcare professionals (OHPs) that massage therapy is safe and effective and should be an integral part of patients’ health care. This desire for credibility through research, however, requires studies that are acceptable to medical professionals. Therefore, researchers have begun to study massage therapy, primarily using randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Many of the RCTs of massage therapy, rather than proving efficacy, have been met with criticism, including their lack of reproducibility and lack of a suitable control. The belief that RCTs will save the profession of MT, or any health care practice, by proving treatments work, is unfounded. Evidence hierarchies suggest that practitioners should accept the results of RCTs, or the systematic review of RCTs, as the gold standard for efficacy research. Privileging one methodology over another does not use the benefits of the multiple approaches to research available. Researchers should consider whether there are other methodologies that allow for rigorous investigation of massage therapy in a way that would be useful for stakeholders of this research. It is only through research that is rigorously and authentically conducted that the credibility of massage therapy will be established.
{"title":"A Commentary on the Role of Randomized Controlled Trials in Massage Therapy","authors":"Amanda Baskwill","doi":"10.3822/IJTMB.V10I4.375","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V10I4.375","url":null,"abstract":"Some massage therapists (MTs) view research as a way to demonstrate to other healthcare professionals (OHPs) that massage therapy is safe and effective and should be an integral part of patients’ health care. This desire for credibility through research, however, requires studies that are acceptable to medical professionals. Therefore, researchers have begun to study massage therapy, primarily using randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Many of the RCTs of massage therapy, rather than proving efficacy, have been met with criticism, including their lack of reproducibility and lack of a suitable control. The belief that RCTs will save the profession of MT, or any health care practice, by proving treatments work, is unfounded. Evidence hierarchies suggest that practitioners should accept the results of RCTs, or the systematic review of RCTs, as the gold standard for efficacy research. Privileging one methodology over another does not use the benefits of the multiple approaches to research available. Researchers should consider whether there are other methodologies that allow for rigorous investigation of massage therapy in a way that would be useful for stakeholders of this research. It is only through research that is rigorously and authentically conducted that the credibility of massage therapy will be established.","PeriodicalId":39090,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice","volume":"10 1","pages":"13 - 16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3822/IJTMB.V10I4.375","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45612315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：