The evidence funnel: Highlighting the importance of research literacy in the delivery of evidence informed complementary health care

BackgroundMassage is the largest complementary medicine profession in Australia, in terms of public utilisation, practitioner distribution, and number of practitioners, and is being increasingly integrated into the Australian health care system. However, despite the increasing importance of massage therapists in Australian health care delivery, or the increased practice and education obligations this may entail, there has been little exploration of practice, research, and education characteristics of the Australian massage therapist workforce.PurposeTo identify practice, research, and education characteristics among the Australian massage therapist workforce.SettingsThe Australian massage therapy profession.Participants301 randomly selected members of the Association of Massage Therapists (Australia).Research DesignA 15-item, cross-sectional telephone survey.Main Outcomes MeasuresMassage therapists’ demographic information, practice characteristics, and education and research characteristics.ResultsMost respondents (73.8%) worked 20 hours per week or less practising massage, nearly half of all respondents (46.8%) treated fewer than 10 massage clients per week, and over three-quarters (81.7%) of respondents were self-employed. Massage therapy was the sole source of income for just over half (55.0%) of the study respondents. Only 5.7% of respondents earned over the average wage ($50,000) through their massage activities. Nearly half of all respondents (43.3%) reported regularly exceeding their continuing professional education (CPE) quota mandated by their professional association. However, 21.1% reported struggling to achieve their CPE quota each year. Over one-third of respondents (35.6%) were not interested in acquiring further CPE points beyond minimum requirements. Respondents were significantly more likely to have an active approach to research if they had higher income (p = .015). Multivariate analysis showed factors associated with access to CPE to be the only significant predictors for increased CPE.ConclusionsThe massage profession in Australia remains largely part-time and practitioners earn less than the average Australian wage. The factors that underlie research and education involvement appear to be highly individualised and, therefore, policies targeting specific groups may be arbitrary and ineffective.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practice and research in Australian massage therapy: a national workforce survey

Wardle

Barnett

Adams

2015

“…(20) Worrall (5) states that hierarchies of evidence overrate RCTs, and comments that those using evidence must appraise research as part of its consumption. This idea has also been discussed by Finch (21) in his presentation of the evidence funnel. Privileging one methodology over another does not recognize the benefits of the multiple approaches to the available research.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

A Commentary on the Role of Randomized Controlled Trials in Massage Therapy

Baskwill

2017

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.

“…Research in the field of massage therapy is still in a relatively early stage when compared to other professions and this is partly due to a lack of research infrastructure and a research tradition that has been slow to develop. There is more work to be done in educating practitioners so that they become comfortable reading and applying the MT literature (4) . Another reason for limited research uptake might be that the profession has not yet investigated topics that massage therapists view as important to the profession (5) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Massage Therapy and Canadians’ Health Care Needs 2020: Proceedings of a National Research Priority Setting Summit

Dryden

Sumpton²,

Shipwright

et al. 2014

Background:The health care landscape in Canada is changing rapidly as forces, such as an aging population, increasingly complex health issues and treatments, and economic pressure to reduce health care costs, bear down on the system. A cohesive national research agenda for massage therapy (MT) is needed in order to ensure maximum benefit is derived from research on treatment, health care policy, and cost effectiveness.Setting: A one-day invitational summit was held in Toronto, Ontario to build strategic alliances among Canadian and international researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders to help shape a national research agenda for MT.Method: Using a modified Delphi method, the summit organizers conducted two pre-summit surveys to ensure that time spent during the summit was relevant and productive. The summit was facilitated using the principles of Appreciative Inquiry which included a "4D" strategic planning approach (defining, discovery, dreaming, designing) and application of a SOAR framework (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results).Participants: Twenty-six researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders actively participated in the events.Results: Priority topics that massage therapists believe are important to the Canadian public, other health care providers, and policy makers and massage therapists themselves were identified. A framework for a national massage therapy (MT) research agenda, a grand vision of the future for MT research, and a 12-month action plan were developed. Conclusion:The summit provided an excellent opportunity for key stakeholders to come together and use their experience and knowledge of MT to develop a much-needed plan for moving the MT research and professionalization agenda forward.