Use of massage therapy by mid-aged and older Australian women.

Ladanyi, S; Adams, J; Sibbritt, D

Use of massage therapy by mid-aged and older Australian women.

Ladanyi, S

Adams, J Sibbritt, D

Permalink

Publisher:: BMC
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMC Complement Med Ther, 2022, 22, (1), pp. 148
Issue Date:: 2022-05-30

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (921.85 kB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Ladanyi, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7516-0760
dc.contributor.author	Adams, J
dc.contributor.author	Sibbritt, D
dc.date.accessioned	2022-07-12T11:24:12Z
dc.date.available	2022-05-12
dc.date.available	2022-07-12T11:24:12Z
dc.date.issued	2022-05-30
dc.identifier.citation	BMC Complement Med Ther, 2022, 22, (1), pp. 148
dc.identifier.issn	2662-7671
dc.identifier.issn	2662-7671
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/158812
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Massage is a widely acceptable and popular form of complementary medicine (CM) among Australian women. While there is some research that reports on massage use in younger women, there is minimal research exploring massage use in the treatment of chronic illness in older women. This study provides an estimate of the prevalence of massage use, as well as identifying the characteristics significantly associated with consultation with a massage therapist, for mid-age and older Australian women. METHODS: A cross-sectional sub-study was conducted on a sample of women drawn from the 45 and Up Study; a large cohort study of adults aged 45 years and over. Data from 1795 women were included in the analyses and massage use was compared against measures of demographics, health status and health care utilisation. RESULTS: A total of 174 (7.7%) women consulted with a massage therapist in the previous 12 months. Women were more likely to consult a massage therapist if they have tertiary level education (O.R. = 1.67; 95% C.I.: 1.04, 2.65; p = 0.031), private health insurance (O.R. = 6.37; 95% C.I.: 4.41, 9.19; p < 0.001) and/or osteoarthritis (O.R. = 1.72; 95% C.I.: 1.19, 2.48; p = 0.004). They were also more likely to consult a massage therapist if they have a poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (O.R. = 1.14; 95% C.I.: 1.04, 1.27; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Older, tertiary-level educated Australian women with private health insurance were more likely to use massage therapy, as were women with osteoarthritis specifically. Women with lower HRQoL were found to be more likely to use massage therapy in the treatment of their chronic illness. This research provides insight into the determinants of massage use among ageing women and is useful for governments in consideration of accessibility to holistic healthcare when developing public policy for healthcare in Australia.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	BMC
dc.relation.ispartof	BMC Complement Med Ther
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1186/s12906-022-03626-w
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Cohort Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Massage
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Osteoarthritis
dc.subject.mesh	Quality of Life
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Osteoarthritis
dc.subject.mesh	Massage
dc.subject.mesh	Cohort Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Quality of Life
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.title	Use of massage therapy by mid-aged and older Australian women.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	22
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-07-12T11:24:09Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	22
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Massage is a widely acceptable and popular form of complementary medicine (CM) among Australian women. While there is some research that reports on massage use in younger women, there is minimal research exploring massage use in the treatment of chronic illness in older women. This study provides an estimate of the prevalence of massage use, as well as identifying the characteristics significantly associated with consultation with a massage therapist, for mid-age and older Australian women. METHODS: A cross-sectional sub-study was conducted on a sample of women drawn from the 45 and Up Study; a large cohort study of adults aged 45 years and over. Data from 1795 women were included in the analyses and massage use was compared against measures of demographics, health status and health care utilisation. RESULTS: A total of 174 (7.7%) women consulted with a massage therapist in the previous 12 months. Women were more likely to consult a massage therapist if they have tertiary level education (O.R. = 1.67; 95% C.I.: 1.04, 2.65; p = 0.031), private health insurance (O.R. = 6.37; 95% C.I.: 4.41, 9.19; p < 0.001) and/or osteoarthritis (O.R. = 1.72; 95% C.I.: 1.19, 2.48; p = 0.004). They were also more likely to consult a massage therapist if they have a poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (O.R. = 1.14; 95% C.I.: 1.04, 1.27; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Older, tertiary-level educated Australian women with private health insurance were more likely to use massage therapy, as were women with osteoarthritis specifically. Women with lower HRQoL were found to be more likely to use massage therapy in the treatment of their chronic illness. This research provides insight into the determinants of massage use among ageing women and is useful for governments in consideration of accessibility to holistic healthcare when developing public policy for healthcare in Australia.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/158812