Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33167905›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2020

Prevalence and perceptions of infant massage in India: study from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh states.

Sarika Chaturvedi, Bharat Randive, Ashish Pathak, Sharad Agarkhedkar, Girish Tillu, Gary L Darmstadt, Bhushan Patwardhan

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
3.9field-weighted citation impact, top 6% 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Skin Care Practices in Indian Newborns and Infants: Current Scenario.Pediatric health, medicine and therapeutics · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
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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

7 authors at 6 institutions in 3 countries.

Sarika ChaturvediDr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth (DPU), Sant Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri, Pune, 411018, India. sarikabharat2005@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0003-2927-1229
Bharat RandiveCentre for Clinical Global Health Education, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Ashish PathakDepartment of Paediatrics, R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, MP, India.
Sharad AgarkhedkarDepartment of Pediatrics, Dr D Y Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, 411018, India.
Girish TilluCentre for Complementary and Integrative Health, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India.
Gary L DarmstadtDepartment of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Bhushan PatwardhanCentre for Complementary and Integrative Health, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India.
Savitribai Phule Pune University · INDr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre · INDr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune · INJohns Hopkins University · USKarolinska Institutet · SEStanford University · US

Funding

UGC,India Indian University Grant Commission's Dr D S Kothari Post Doctoral Fellowship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKnowledge of the prevailing infant care practices and their effects is important to inform practice and public programs. Infant massage is a traditional practice in India but remains less studied. This study was conducted to study the prevalence and perceptions of infant massage practices in two states of India.

methodsA total of 1497 caretakers of children under 18 months of age were interviewed in a cross-sectional study at immunisation units of medical schools in Maharashtra (MH) and Madhya Pradesh (MP) states and through home visits in villages in MH during March through August 2018.

resultsInfant massage was a prevalent practice (93.8% [95%CI: 92.4,94.9]) in both study states - 97.9%[95%CI:96.9,98.8] in MH and 85.3%[95%CI: 81.9,88.3] in MP - and the prevalence did not vary between male (94.5%) and female (93.5%) infants (p = 0.44). Massage was mostly initiated in the first week of life (82%); it is widely viewed as a traditional practice. It was common to massage the baby once daily (77%), before bathing (77%), and after feeding (57%). Massage was mostly conducted using oils (97%). In MH, preferred oils were a sesame oil-based proprietary traditional medicine oil (36%) and coconut oil (18%) while olive (29%) and mustard (20%) oils were most popular in MP. Commonly reported application techniques included gentle massage with minimal pressure, pressing (30%) and manually stretching certain joints (60%). Commonly reported perceived benefits of infant massage included increased bone strength, better sleep and growth, while no harm was perceived (95%).

conclusionInfant oil massage is a highly prevalent traditional practice in MH and MP. Clear guidance on the use of massage, choice of oil, and techniques for application is required to optimize benefits and minimize risks of this popular traditional practice.

Indexed as

MassagePerceptionChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansIndiaInfantMalePrevalenceAyurvedaEmollient therapyInfant careOil massageTraditional practices

Identifiers

PMID33167905
PMCPMC7650175
OpenAlexW3103350524

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.