Dancers’ perception of accessibility and quality of the relationship with healthcare professionals in Quebec (Lara Haikal, Eve Boissonnault)
Purpose: The dancer-physician relationship boasts many challenges. The degree of a healthcaresystem’s marginalization of dance artists depends on available resources. This relationship has not been studied in Quebec’s healthcare system. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between professional and pre-professional dancers and the Quebec healthcare system; to identify the key elements of an optimal dancer-physician relationship and to propose recommendations for improvement.
Participants: Of 161 participants, 144 met inclusion criteria: age 18 years and older; identifies as a professional or pre-professional performer, choreographer or rehearsal director; enrolled in Quebec’s health insurance board; comprehension of written French or English.
Design/Procedure: Cross-sectional survey consisting of multiple choice, “yes/no” and short answer questions sent to professional dance organizations, companies, agencies and schools. Information regarding sociodemographics, dance background, dance-related injuries and access to a primary care physician were collected. Experiences and expectations regarding the dancer-physician relationship were surveyed. One-way ANOVA analyses and Pearson correlations were performed to assess differences of perception between demographic characteristics and associations between variables.
Results: Dance artists sought care from osteopaths (47.9%) and physiotherapists (36.1%) more frequently than from physicians (8.3%). Fully employed dancers had more favorable perceptions of the dancer-physician relationship compared to self-employed and those with mixed streams of income. The perception of the majority of participants was that physicians do not comprehend the unique dance associated impacts on health (81.8%). The most important aspect affecting perception of the relationship was diagnostic acumen (41.3%). A majority of participants (79.0%) selected “works with other health professionals [...] and gives expert advice” as an expectation toward physicians.
Conclusions: This research is the first investigation of the dancer-physician relationship in Quebec. It reveals a desire amongst the dance community to improve the dancer-physician relationship and the quality of their unique healthcare requirements. Relevance to conference theme: Our findings confirm the need for advancement and demonstrate that our population experiences similar challenges as dance artists worldwide. They indicate that further research and collaboration between dance and medical institutions could help deepen physicians’ understanding of dancers’ specific healthcare. This study reveals obstacles regarding accessibility of healthcare for the Quebec dance community, confirming that there is need for improvement.
References
Air ME, Gierson MJ, Davenport KL, Krabak BJ, “Dissecting the doctor-dancer relationship:
health care decision making among American collegiate dancers”, PM R 6, no.3 (Mar 2014):241-
9. Accessed July 10, 2020. doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2013.09.001
Air M, “Health care seeking behavior and perceptions of the medical profession among pre- and
post-retirement age Dutch dancers”, J Dance Med Sci 13, no.2 (2009): 42-50. Accessed July 11,
2020. Doi?
Alimena S, Air ME, “Trust, Satisfaction, and Confidence in Health Care Providers Among
Student and Professional Dancers in France”, Med Probl Perform Art 31, no.3 (Sep 2016): 166-
73. Accessed July 11, 2020. doi:10.21091/mppa.2016.3030
Participants: Of 161 participants, 144 met inclusion criteria: age 18 years and older; identifies as a professional or pre-professional performer, choreographer or rehearsal director; enrolled in Quebec’s health insurance board; comprehension of written French or English.
Design/Procedure: Cross-sectional survey consisting of multiple choice, “yes/no” and short answer questions sent to professional dance organizations, companies, agencies and schools. Information regarding sociodemographics, dance background, dance-related injuries and access to a primary care physician were collected. Experiences and expectations regarding the dancer-physician relationship were surveyed. One-way ANOVA analyses and Pearson correlations were performed to assess differences of perception between demographic characteristics and associations between variables.
Results: Dance artists sought care from osteopaths (47.9%) and physiotherapists (36.1%) more frequently than from physicians (8.3%). Fully employed dancers had more favorable perceptions of the dancer-physician relationship compared to self-employed and those with mixed streams of income. The perception of the majority of participants was that physicians do not comprehend the unique dance associated impacts on health (81.8%). The most important aspect affecting perception of the relationship was diagnostic acumen (41.3%). A majority of participants (79.0%) selected “works with other health professionals [...] and gives expert advice” as an expectation toward physicians.
Conclusions: This research is the first investigation of the dancer-physician relationship in Quebec. It reveals a desire amongst the dance community to improve the dancer-physician relationship and the quality of their unique healthcare requirements. Relevance to conference theme: Our findings confirm the need for advancement and demonstrate that our population experiences similar challenges as dance artists worldwide. They indicate that further research and collaboration between dance and medical institutions could help deepen physicians’ understanding of dancers’ specific healthcare. This study reveals obstacles regarding accessibility of healthcare for the Quebec dance community, confirming that there is need for improvement.
References
Air ME, Gierson MJ, Davenport KL, Krabak BJ, “Dissecting the doctor-dancer relationship:
health care decision making among American collegiate dancers”, PM R 6, no.3 (Mar 2014):241-
9. Accessed July 10, 2020. doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2013.09.001
Air M, “Health care seeking behavior and perceptions of the medical profession among pre- and
post-retirement age Dutch dancers”, J Dance Med Sci 13, no.2 (2009): 42-50. Accessed July 11,
2020. Doi?
Alimena S, Air ME, “Trust, Satisfaction, and Confidence in Health Care Providers Among
Student and Professional Dancers in France”, Med Probl Perform Art 31, no.3 (Sep 2016): 166-
73. Accessed July 11, 2020. doi:10.21091/mppa.2016.3030
Lara Haikal
Eve Boissonnault
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Lara Haikal is a fourth year medical student at the University of Montreal and an emerging contemporary dance artist. She has particular interest in physical medicine and rehabilitation, sports medicine and performing arts medicine. Her experience as a dancer and her medical interests have led her to get involved with Healthy Dancer Canada and the IADMS in 2020, to preside the local sports medicine interest group at her university, and to gain knowledge on dance medicine by assisting to several virtual conferences. As a dancer, she has performed in exhibitions, video projects and festivals in Montreal. This study is the first one she is conducting on the dance community in Quebec along with a team of physiatrists from the University of Montreal, combining her two greatest passions. She intends to work on future studies to further understand the field and to improve professional and pre-professional dancers’ situation in relation to the healthcare system.
Eve Boissonnault is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, currently completing a fellowship in spasticity management and neurorehabilitation with Dr Paul Winston in Victoria, British Columbia. Prior to her medical training, she received professional dance training at “L’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec”. As a professional dancer, she has performed with several companies in Montreal, including “Bouge de là”, a dance company devoted exclusively to dance performances for children. She is now collaborating with “La Jeune Scène d’affaires de l’École supérieure de ballet du Québec”, a group promoting a philanthropic culture among young businesspeople to support emerging dancers. Her unique background motivated her to further understanding the relationship between dancers and the healthcare system in Quebec. She aims to conduct more research projects in this field to improve professional and pre-professional dancers’ health.
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