SHRP-Office of Research
SHRP Student Interns for Research and Scholarly Activities
Application of Project Proposal Form
Instructions:
Please fill out the form and return via email to Bob Denmark at
denmarrm@shrp.rutgers.edu by March 31, 2014. Please fill each box to the
right of each required field. If you are sending attachments, please ensure
your contact information is added to all your forms.
Faculty Contact Information:
Date submitted:
Faculty Name:
Department/Program:
Telephone number:
E-mail:
April 15, 2014
Virginia S. Cowen
Primary Care/ICAM
973-972-8640
cowenvs@shrp.rutgers.edu
Project Detail:
Project Title: (56
characters max)
Hypothesis:
Survey of massage therapy during outpatient cancer
treatment
A small percentage of outpatient oncology clinics offer
massage by licensed massage therapists in the
NYC/Northern NJ metro area despite promising evidence
for cancer-related symptoms and treatment side effects.
Description:
This project is a survey of massage therapy offered by
oncology clinics in the NYC/northern NJ metro area. The
student involved in this project will participate in all
phases of the project including conducting phone calls for
the telephone survey, abstracting date from oncology
clinic websites (where available), conducting statistical
analyses.
(Include design,
methodology, data
collection, techniques, data
analysis to be employed,
evaluation and
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interpretation methodology
for research component)
Massage therapy can be effective in treating cancerrelated symptoms and side effects of oncology treatment.
Massage therapists are licensed as healthcare providers in
New Jersey and New York. Training and licensure
requirements prepare massage therapists to assess and
treat a variety of clinical presentations, focusing primarily
on soft-tissue dysfunction as well as providing treatment
for general relaxation.
Across the U.S. massage therapists work in a wide variety
of settings including clinical facilities. Research performed
in clinical settings has substantiated the outcomes of
massage for cancer patients, but it is unclear how many
outpatient oncology clinics in the metro area offer
massage to their patients. Anecdotal evidence indicates
that many licensed massage therapists (LMTs) are
volunteering their time at outpatient oncology clinics.
While this provides a valuable service to the patients, it
may not indicate recognition of massage as a valuable
supplemental treatment for cancer patients.
This project will be use a mixed-methods approach to
explore the prevalence of massage therapy in metro-area
outpatient oncology clinics. A review of patient services
on facility websites along with a telephone survey will be
used to gather data on clinical facilities in the Northern
New Jersey/NYC metropolitan area. The compiled results
will be analyzed using descriptive statistics. The aim is to
identify the percent of outpatient oncology clinics that
offer massage, whether it is provided by licensed
massage therapists, and whether they are employees or
volunteers.
Specific Student
Responsibilities:
Abstract information from massage research articles into
existing database.
Work collaboratively with other members of project team
on to gather data.
Review massage-related information on patient services
area of outpatient oncology clinic websites.
Participate in data coding and analysis.
Contribute to draft of final report for publication.
Start / end date of
project:
May 27, 2014 – July 31, 2014
Educational:
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WHAT OTHER
EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES ARE
AVAILABLE TO
STUDENTS?
Student will work collaboratively with members of
complementary and alternative medicine summer
research team.
(e.g., journal club,
seminars, clinic, rounds)
WHERE DO YOU PLAN TO
PRESENT OR PUBLISH
THE FINDINGS WITH THE
STUDENT?
The results of this analysis will be submitted to a peer
reviewed journal.
(e.g., national or state
meetings, newsletter or
journal, SHRP poster day)
_______________________________________________________________
CHECK ALL APPROPRIATE BOXES BELOW AND PROVIDE REQUESTED
INFORMATION.
This project is:
educational
clinical
laboratory
behavioral
survey
(other)
______________________________________________________________
This project involves the use of human subjects (including chart review,
retrospective studies and questionnaires).
Pending
Approved
IRB Protocol Number _______________
IRB approval must be obtained by June 2013.
OR-For internal use
Form: (1)
Reviewed date:_______________
Date processed on website:_________________
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