Corona And Manual Professions - CAMP
In Sweden, about 700 chiropractors and 1 200 naprapaths tend to the Swedish people’s musculoskeletal pain; back pain, neck pain, sciatica, headaches and other pains and injuries in muscles and joints. Most of these manual therapists are small businesses, with limited financial margins.
Most are working in private settings as ”allied health care professionals” outside of the public health care system. Thus, their likelihoods are threatened should they have to cancel appointments over an extended period of time.
Chiropractors and naprapaths operate in a unique setting regarding contagion, as the examination and treatment requires physical proximity between the patient and therapist. In normal circumstances, protective gloves and masks are not worn. Therefore, if a patient has COVID-19, it is likely that the manual therapist will be infected, and possibly their family as well.
In the CAMP (Corona And Manual Professions) study, the impact of the Corona pandemic on the manual therapists in Sweden will be examined. Specifically, the impact on their health, work environment and economy will be investigated. A survey will be sent to all chiropractors and naprapaths in September 2020, with follow-ups in January, March and September 2021. The knowledge gained from this study may help understand what the manual professions have endured as a result of the pandemic, and to help us prepare for similar events in the future, so that the impact is minimized.
Funding: AFA insurance, grant 200140