Exploring the awareness of research among registered massage therapists in Ontario
-
Amanda J. Baskwill
and
Kelly Dore
Abstract
Background: An increase in available research has highlighted that knowledge changes over time as theories are challenged and adjusted or dismissed. This is particularly important to healthcare practitioners, including massage therapists, who need to frequently review current research and adjust practice accordingly. However, when research findings related to practice are generated, there is considerable delay in implementation. Few studies measure actual knowledge of current evidence for practice. The objectives of the study reported here were to (a) describe current awareness of evidence for practice among registered massage therapists (RMTs) in Ontario and (b) identify the sources of information RMTs use to inform their awareness of current evidence and the reported importance and frequency of use for each source.
Methods: An online questionnaire-based mixed-methods cross-sectional study was conducted. Ontario RMTs were invited to participate. This report focuses on the quantitative analysis.
Results: In total, 1,762 questionnaires were included. Of seven sources of information provided, respondents rated cumulative professional experience as most important, followed by recent research studies and education. Cumulative professional experience also rated as most frequently used, followed by other RMTs and education.
Conclusions: There was a tendency for respondents to agree with positive statements about MT, or disagree with negative statements, regardless of correctness. The results suggest that RMTs need to improve their awareness of the current evidence for practice. Furthermore, cumulative professional experience was ranked most frequently used. This has the potential to not include the most current research. Improving communication of research findings to RMTs might improve awareness.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the support and guidance of Drs. Geoffrey Norman and Lawrence Grierson.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: This study was funded by IN-CAM through the Massage Therapy Research Fund.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Preclinical Studies
- TNF-α modulation by natural bioactive molecules in mouse RAW 264.7 macrophage cells
- Antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities of the ethanolic extract of Garcinia cambogia on high fat diet-fed rats
- Attenuation of genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation by rutin in benzo(a)pyrene exposed lungs of mice: plausible role of NF-κB, TNF-α and Bcl-2
- Clinical Studies
- Report on short course in educational methodology for university teachers in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) disciplines – a pilot study conducted at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India
- Exploring the awareness of research among registered massage therapists in Ontario
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- A comparison of the effects of reflexology and relaxation on pain in women with multiple sclerosis
- Cumulative effect of short-term and long-term meditation practice in men and women on psychophysiological parameters of electrophotonic imaging: a cross-sectional study
- Case Report
- An 81-year-old woman with chronic illnesses and a strong faith
- Improvement of restless legs syndrome by nabat: a case series and new hypotheses for research
