Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31060455›Full record

SynthesisPalliative medicine2019

Aromatherapy, massage and reflexology: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the perspectives from people with palliative care needs.

Megan Armstrong, Kate Flemming, Nuriye Kupeli, Patrick Stone, Susie Wilkinson, Bridget Candy

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Palliative medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
7.3field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Trial
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  7. Article
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  12. Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Aroma Massage with Lavender Essential Oil: an Overview.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Megan Armstrong1 Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6773-9393
Kate Flemming2 Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK.
Nuriye Kupeli1 Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6511-412X
Patrick Stone1 Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
Susie Wilkinson3 Palliative Care Institute, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Bridget Candy1 Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9935-7840
University College London · GBUniversity of Liverpool · GBUniversity of York · GB

Funding

Marie Curie MCCC-FCH-18-UMarie Curie MCCC-FCO-11-UMarie Curie MCRGS-07-16-36
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffectiveness evidence of complementary therapies in people with advanced disease is uncertain, and yet people are still keen to engage in complementary therapy. Insights into people's experiences of complementary therapy in palliative care, the perceived benefits, and how they want it delivered, can inform clinical guidelines and suggest ways to test therapies more appropriately in future evaluations.

aimsExplore in people with advanced disease (1) the experiences and perceptions of benefits and harms of aromatherapy, massage, and reflexology and (2) how they would like these therapies delivered.

designA systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. Database search terms were related to palliative care, aromatherapy, reflexology and massage. Citations and full texts were reviewed independently against predefined inclusion criteria. Studies were appraised for quality. This review is registered at PROSPERO (22/11/2017 CRD42017081409). DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, KoreaMed and ProQuest with a bibliography search to June 2018.

resultsFive qualitative studies in advanced cancer were identified. Three analytical themes were identified: (1) Experience during the therapy (enhanced well-being and escapism), (2) beyond the complementary therapy session (lasting benefits and overall evaluation), and (3) delivery of complementary therapy in palliative care (value of the therapist and delivery of the complementary therapy).

conclusionsPeople with advanced cancer experience benefits from aromatherapy, reflexology and massage including enhanced well-being, respite, and escapism from their disease. Complementary therapy interventions should be developed in consultation with the target population to ensure they are delivered and evaluated, where feasible, as they wish.

Indexed as

AromatherapyMassageMusculoskeletal ManipulationsPalliative CareHumansadvanced cancerand thematic synthesisaromatherapyComplementary therapymassagepalliativereflexologysystematic review

Identifiers

PMID31060455
PMCPMC6985994
OpenAlexW2944795515

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.