Physicians’ Perspective On Dance Movement Interventions As A Complementary Treatment For Cognitive Impairments

Dance movement interventions (DMI) offer both physical and mental benefits for participants. Physicians play a crucial role as proponents and endorsers of DMI for individuals with cognitive impairments. PURPOSE: To investigate the physicians’ perspective on prescribing DMI as a complementary therapeutic approach with the intention of guiding future development and its integration into healthcare. METHODS: A qualitative semi-structured interview study was conducted. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit participants from nine hospitals. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the interview data. The analysis process involved familiarisation with the data, coding, categorisation, and theme development. RESULTS: Ten physicians (6 female) generally exhibit a positive attitude towards DMI. Three major themes (and multiple sub-themes) arose, including, (1) Identification of challenges in current medical care: limitations in resources and treatments, inadequacies of existing medications to meet patient needs, the necessity for patient self-management, and economic and caregiver burdens; (2) Considerations of DMI details: patients’ acceptance, medical clearance and patients’ classification, the model of dance class (in-person and online/AI-assisted), instructors’ qualifications, safety and monitoring concerns, and assessments of dance intervention effects; (3) Recommendations for DMI implementation: including suitable institutions, promotion of awareness regarding the benefits of dance (popularisation of science), research to substantiate evidence, the developing of sophisticated dance treatment and implementation of widespread common dance activities, professional manpower support, multi-institutional collaboration, professional DMI guidelines, maintaining patients’ adherence, medical insurance coverage, digital health development, policy support, and cognitive impairment prevention services for elderly populations. CONCLUSIONS: Insights from this study could facilitate the adoption of dance-based rehabilitation. Moreover, this study provides valuable guidance for medical care professionals, policymakers, and researchers in enhancing the delivery of non-pharmacological care for individuals with cognitive impairment.