Data Cart

The 1999 Field Representative's Manual defines massage therapy as:

This definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

The 2002 Field Representative's Manual says that massage:

This definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

The 2007 Field Representative's Manual provides a definition that focuses on the massage therapist:

In 2007 field representatives were advised to "feel free to offer [this definition] even if the respondent has not requested [it]."

The 2002 and 2007 survey questions asked whether the person had seen "a practitioner" (for sample adults) or "a provider or practitioner" (for sample children) for massage in the past 12 months. The 2007 Manual defines an "alternative provider or practitioner" as:

Respondents who indicated that they had ever used massage therapy (MASEV) (in the case of sample adults) and that they had used it in the past 12 months (MASYR) (both sample adults and sample children) were asked follow-up questions about their use of massage. Most of the following variables relate only to sample adults, except for MASTREAT and some variables covering specific health conditions.

• importance of use of massage (MASIMPORT)

• times saw practitioner for massage (MASNO)

• amount paid per visit for massage (MASPAID)

• whether massage costs covered by insurance (MASINSURE)

• whether used massage for specific health problem (MASTREAT)

• reasons for using massage (MASUSCOMBO, MASUSENERGY, MASUSHCREC, MASUSIMMUN, MASUSINTER, MASUSMEDCOST, MASUSMEDFAIL, MASUSRELREC, MASUSWELL)

• whether combined massage with conventional treatments (MASNOCONV, MASCOUN, MASNPMED, MASPMED, MASPT, MASSURG)

• timing of massage treatment, relative to use of conventional treatments (MASCOUNTIM, MASNPMEDTIM, MASPMEDTIM, MASPTTIM, MASSURGTIM)

• whether informed conventional medical practitioners of use of massage (MASLCONVHP, MASLDENT, MASLDO, MASLMD, MASLNURS, MASLPHARM, MASLPSYCHI, MASLPSYCHO)

Persons who indicated in MASTREAT that they had used massage in the past 12 months to treat a specific health problem were asked to specify the condition treated. There are 131 total variables for specific conditions that were treated by massage, including 72 for sample adults, 28 for sample children, and 31 for both sample adults and sample children. See MASTREAT for more detail and the full list of conditions that persons could indicate were treated with massage. Analysts interested in the conditions that massage was used to treat may also wish to consult the following variables:

• condition for which massage was used most (MASTCONMOST)

• first condition for which massage was used (MASCON1)

• degree of help from massage, 1st condition (MASCON1HELP)

• second condition for which massage was used (MASCON2)

• degree of help from massage, 2nd condition (MASCON2HELP)

• third condition for which massage was used (MASCON3)

• degree of help from massage, 3rd condition (MASCON3HELP)

• condition count for massage (MASCONNO)

In 1999 the question read, "During the past 12 months have you used massage therapy?"

In the 2002 and 2007 sample adult questionnaires, the question read, "During the past 12 months, did you see a practitioner for massage?"

The 2007 sample child questionnaire asked, "During the past 12 months, did [fill: sample child's name] see a provider or practitioner for any of the following therapies? Please say yes or no to each. ... Massage?"

Thus, the later versions of MASYR emphasize the use of a massage practitioner, an emphasis that is not found in the 1999 question. However, the Field Representative's Manual for 2002 instructs, "When going through the supplement, please remember that the first 10 alternative therapies ... [which include massage] require seeing a practitioner ..." Moreover, the definitions provided in 2002 and 2007 (see above) make explicit mention to "massage therapists."