Massage therapy in palliative care populations: a narrative review of literature from 2012 to 2022
Thirteen unique articles were identified through the PubMed database search and from a manual review of references. Study designs of included articles were one pilot, one quasiexperimental single-arm study, one mixed-methods study, two qualitative (both with hospital-based palliative care populations), seven randomized controlled trials, and one retrospective cohort analysis in a major Veterans Health Administration health care facility.
Cates C, Jordan K, Munk N, Farrand R, Kennedy AB, Groninger H. Massage therapy in palliative care populations: a narrative review of literature from 2012 to 2022. Ann Palliat Med. 2023 Aug 11:apm-23-126. doi: 10.21037/apm-23-126.
Massage Therapy for Hospitalized Patients Receiving Palliative Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial
MedStar Health Research Institute and MedStar Washington Hospital Center, in partnership with Healwell, were the recipients of a Palmer Foundation grant in early 2018, to study and compare effective dosages of massage therapy on pain and distress relief for 400 hospitalized palliative care patients. The study combines quantitative and qualitative data to show not only the clinical value of meaningfully integrated massage therapy, but also patient and clinician attitudes about the inclusion of massage therapy in mainstream care.
Groninger, Hunter et al. “Massage Therapy for Hospitalized Patients Receiving Palliative Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” Journal of pain and symptom management, S0885-3924(23)00046-5. 31 Jan. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.01.011
Kelemen, Anne et al. “"I Didn't Know Massages Could Do That:" A qualitative analysis of the perception of hospitalized patients receiving massage therapy from specially trained massage therapists.” Complementary therapies in medicine vol. 52 (2020): 102509. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102509
Pilot Study of Massage to Improve Sleep and Fatigue in Hospitalized Adolescents With Cancer
In June 2012, Healwell concluded an effort that spanned two years in a research partnership with an area hospital providing massage therapy to pediatric patients in an oncology massage feasibility study. Children’s National Medical Center engaged Healwell to provide massage therapy to pediatric oncology patients as part of their study, To Sleep, Perchance to Dream: a massage therapy trial in adolescents with cancer, to measure both the feasibility of offering massage to this population and the effect of massage therapy on sleep patterns in this population.
Jacobs S, Mowbray C, Cates LM, Baylor A, Gable C, Skora E, Estrada M, Cheng Y, Wang J, Lewin D, Hinds P. Pilot Study of Massage to Improve Sleep and Fatigue in Hospitalized Adolescents With Cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016 May;63(5):880-6.
Funding has been secured for a multi-site replication of this study. Stay tuned for the full announcement.
Posters and Infographics
Latham-funded Pilot Study with MHRI & MedStar Washington Hospital Center
MedStar Health Research Institute and MedStar Washington Hospital Center, in partnership with Healwell, received a grant from The Latham Foundation in 2017 to conduct a pilot study to assess feasibility of including massage therapy in the care offered to hospitalized palliative care patients as well as massage therapy’s effect on opioid use, pain and anxiety. 86 patients participated in the study, randomized between a quiet time control group and the massage therapy group.
You can see and download the poster here.
Impact of a Hospital-based Massage Therapy Training Program
Foundational massage therapy training and years of practice outside hospitals inadequately prepare therapists for collaborative practice in serious illness settings. As the demand for massage therapy grows, it becomes crucial for therapists, healthcare decision-makers, and patient-care leaders to advocate for a higher standard of specialized education.
You can see and download the poster here.
Massage Therapy for Hospitalized Patients Receiving Palliative Care
Corey Rivera created this fantastic infographic for more visual representation of the paper “Massage Therapy for Hospitalized Patients Receiving Palliative Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial.”
You can see and download the poster here.
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