GOAL OF WORK: Little is known about complementary therapy services (CTs) available in Canadian palliative care settings. MATERIALS AND 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. MAIN 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.

Support Care Cancer. 2007 Jul 3; [Epub ahead of print] Related Articles, Links

Oneschuk D, Balneaves L, Verhoef M, Boon H, Demmer C, Chiu L.

Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton Palliative Medicine Program, Grey Nuns Hospital, 1100 Youville Drive W, Edmonton, AB, T6L 5X8, Canada, doreen.oneschuk@capitalhealth.ca.

GOALS OF WORK: Therapeutic touch (TT) is a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment modeled on the ancient practice of "laying on of hands" that has been developed into a contemporary supportive care intervention. Evidence-based support for TT is emerging with increasingly more sophisticated studies; however, flaws in early research contributed to a perception that TT is poor science. Yet TT is a safe CAM treatment that is highly valued by patients and can be integrated into conventional settings. Having offered TT as a supportive care intervention within a provincial cancer agency for 20 years, we have grappled with the issues of evidence and of satisfying both patient demands and administrative needs. Our TT practice evolved in response to changing needs and our experience may be useful to those who are contemplating offering a CAM treatment within a conventional setting. OBJECTIVES: The objectives are to describe TT practice within a conventional cancer agency and to identify the important issues and success factors of this program and, secondly, to discuss TT research and our approach to the issues. MAIN RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: TT is a safe and beneficial intervention for cancer patients that can be integrated within a conventional setting, providing that the program evolves with changing patient and organizational needs. Lessons gleaned include (1) positioning TT within the context of research and evidence-based practice, (2) developing and adhering to standards of practice and professionalism, and (3) maintaining a nonpartisan attitude and communicating a plausible rationale.

Support Care Cancer. 2007 Jul 3 Stephen JE, Mackenzie G, Sample S, Macdonald J.

Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, East Academic Annex #1000, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Colombia, V5A 1S6, Canada.