Article summary - Massage Therapy and Canadians’ Health Care Needs 2020: Proceedings of a National Research Priority Setting Summit
In 2014, a group of international and domestic researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers met for a one-day summit to discuss the research needs of the growing profession of massage therapy in Canada.
They discussed how research can inform the practice of massage therapy; how it can mitigate the concerns of the general public, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders; the changing landscape of the Canadian healthcare system; and what types of research would be of benefit. The following study types were deemed the greatest importance:
Basic Science – physiology and psychology of Massage.
Clinical – both subjective and objective findings to determine optimal frequency, safety, and effectiveness vs. other modalities.
Health Services/Translational – Psychosomatic effects of massage in comparison with other treatments, primary prevention studies, and effects of access to massage therapy for under-served populations.
About the Profession – Role of massage therapists within various settings, perception of massage, and how success and excellence is defined.
Socio-Cultural Knowledge – how massage therapy is perceived by other healthcare professionals, how the therapeutic encounter compares to other interactions.
The article continues by asking the questions common among the Canadian public, the goals of Massage Therapists as healthcare professionals, and the trends in Canadian Healthcare including the aging population, and the need for a healthier lifestyle.
Exploring these topics and questions has helped to develop a framework for massage therapy research here in Canada and supports the idea that more research is warranted.