Jenny Jones

Psychosocial factors that predict why people use complementary and alternative medicine and continue with its use: A population based study

UNLABELLED Studies have explored the predictors of CAM use but fewer data explain the psychosocial factors associated with this and why people continue with CAM. AIMS To examine the psychosocial factors that predict CAM use; to explore the predictors of continuing with CAM. DESIGN A cross sectional survey. METHODS 1256 adults were interviewed as part of 2012 Queensland Social Survey. We included questions about CAM, perceived control, cognitive style, spirituality and openness. Relationships were explored using bivariate and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS 79% of people had used CAM in the last 12 months. Socio-demographics, health behaviours, spirituality, openness and prescribing sources were the strongest predictors of CAM use. General health, chronic illness and prescribing sources predicted continued CAM use. CONCLUSION There was high CAM use in Queensland, Australia. Personal characteristics and psychosocial factors need to be considered as part of the individuals holistic assessment and on-going care.

A proposed reductionist solution to address the methodological challenges of inconsistent reflexology maps and poor experimental controls in reflexology research: A discussion paper

Reflexology is a complex massage intervention, based on the concept that specific areas of the feet (reflex points) correspond to individual internal organs within the body. Reflexologists trained in the popular Ingham reflexology method claim that massage to these points, using massage techniques unique to reflexology, stimulates an increase in blood supply to the corresponding organ. Reflexology researchers face two key methodological challenges that need to be addressed if a specific treatment-related hemodynamic effect is to be scientifically demonstrated. The first is the problem of inconsistent reflexology foot maps; the second is the issue of poor experimental controls. This article proposes a potential experimental solution that we believe can address both methodological challenges and in doing so, allow any specific hemodynamic treatment effect unique to reflexology to experimentally reveal itself.

P04.73. Reflexology, cardiac patients and inconsistencies in the location of the heart reflex point: an online survey

Purpose This survey aimed to generate preliminary data, in the face of inconsistent reflexology teaching literature, about two reflexology safety and quality control issues. First, whether reflexologists consider it safe to treat people with heart disease and if so, whether the presence of cardiac disease influences the therapist’s treatment decisions. Reflexology teaching literature is contradictory on this subject, with ‘heart’ disease listed as both an indication, which can benefit from treatment, and as a significant contraindication where treatment should be avoided. The second concern is one of product quality, namely the issue of inconsistency of reflex points in reflexology maps.

P02.46. Double blind randomised controlled study of the acute (immediate) cardiovascular effects of reflexology in healthy volunteers and cardiac patients

Purpose Reflexology is one of the top six complementary therapies used in the UK. Reflexologists claim that massage to specific points of the feet increases blood supply to referred or ‘mapped’ organs in the body. Empirical evidence to validate this claim is scarce. This three-phase study measured changes in cardiovascular parameters in subjects receiving reflexology treatment applied to specific areas of the foot which are thought to correspond to the heart (intervention) compared with reflexology applied to other areas on the foot which are not (control). Methods 16 reflexology-naive healthy volunteers, 12 reflexologynaive patients with chronic artery disease (CAD) and 12 reflexology-naive patients with heart failure (HF) received active and control reflexology treatments in three randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind repeated measures studies. In each study the subjects were observed over six time periods under the two conditions and randomised to receive either intervention or control treatment. Outcome measures included ‘Beat-to-beat’ non-invasive continuous measurement of heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, stroke volume, stroke index, cardiac output, cardiac index, total peripheral resistance, baroreceptor reflex sensitivity, and heart rate variability. Results The effects of reflexology treatment were modest. There were no significant differences noted in any of the measured parameters in either the CAD or HF intervention or control groups. Cardiac index decreased significantly in the healthy volunteer intervention group during left foot treatment (LFT) (baseline mean 2.6; (SD) 0.75; 95% CI +/- 0.38 vs. LFT mean 2.45; SD 0.68; CI 0.35) with an effect size (p= 0.035, omega squared effect (w2) = 0.002; w = 0.045). Conclusion The findings suggest that reflexology massage applied to the upper part of the left foot in the area thought to relate to the ‘heart’ may have a modest specific effect on the cardiac index of healthy volunteers, but no specific effect on patients with various gradations of cardiovascular disease.