The status of complementary therapy services in Canadian palliative care settings.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about complementary therapy services (CTs) available in Canadian palliative care settings.


METHODS
An online survey was e-mailed to multiple Canadian palliative care settings to determine the types and frequency of CTs provided and allowed, who are the CT providers, funding of CT services, and barriers to the provision of CTs.


RESULTS
The response rate was 54% (74/136). Eleven percent of surveyed palliative care settings provided CTs, and 45% allowed CTs to be brought in or to be used by patients. The three most commonly used CTs were music (57%), massage therapy (57%), and therapeutic touch (48%). Less than 25% of patients received CTs in the settings that provided and/or allowed these therapies. CTs were mostly provided by volunteers, and at most settings, limited or no funding was available. Barriers to the delivery of CTs included lack of funding (67%), insufficient knowledge of CTs by staff (49%), and limited knowledge on how to successfully operate a CT service (44%). For settings that did not provide or allow CTs, 44% felt it was important or very important for their patients to have access to CTs. The most common reasons not to provide or allow CTs were insufficient staff knowledge of CTs (67%) and lack of CT personnel (44%).


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, these findings were similar to those reported in a US-based hospice survey after which this survey was patterned. Possible reasons for these shared findings and important directions regarding the future of CT service provision in Canadian palliative care setting are discussed.
Oneschuk
Doreen
D
Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton Palliative Medicine Program, Grey Nuns Hospital, 1100 Youville Drive W, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. doreen.oneschuk@capitalhealth.ca
Balneaves
Lynda
L
Verhoef
Marja
M
Boon
Heather
H
Demmer
Craig
C
Chiu
Lyren
L
D002170:Canada; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs; D010166:Palliative Care