Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Hotel Industry: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common, disabling, and challenging to manage. Despite advances in evidence-based practices, clinical outcomes obtained via traditional delivery methods are suboptimal. Previous research suggests that MSD care administered in luxury resort hotels may be useful for some patients, yet large gaps in knowledge exist regarding this delivery approach. The primary objective of this study was to compare the preferences, attitudes, and expectations of healthcare professionals (HCPs) who manage MSDs and members of the general public who do not manage MSDs (Not-HCPs) about receiving MSD services in luxury resort hotels. A secondary objective was to assess perceptions about receiving MSD services in luxury resort hotels versus clinician offices.

A sample of adults who were identified through convenience sampling from the investigator's professional mailing list and subsequent snowball sampling participated in a cross-sectional survey study. Participants completed an online survey questionnaire one time. The questionnaire, which was developed by the investigators as an exploratory instrument, consisted of 13 items with Likert scale, visual analog scale, dichotomous, multiple choice, and line slider types of questions. Several domains related to MSDs, such as treatment approaches, providers, implementation and adherence factors, and service delivery and locations (clinician's office, luxury resort hotel), were assessed. Analysis was primarily descriptive, and responses from HCPs and Not-HCPs were compared.

81 respondents completed the survey and had full data sets, of which 43 were originally invited via email (response rate 21.3%) and 38 were from other referrals. The results suggest that, overall, respondents were willing to receive care for MSDs in luxury resort hotels compared with clinician offices. Notably, a high percentage of participants indicated that receiving care for MSDs at a luxury resort hotel would be more comfortable and enjoyable, less intimidating, and more likely to result in adherence to therapeutic exercise and improvement in overall health and wellness. Not-HCPs had more favorable views than HCPs about receiving MSD care in luxury resort hotels, which suggests that perceptions of HCPs and Not-HCPs are misaligned.

The results of this study could be prone to a high risk of bias and low generalizability due to the sampling strategy, small sample size, and exploratory, non-validated nature of the survey instrument. While future research is needed to inform clinical practice, this study provides insights about potential misalignments between perceptions of HCPs and Not-HCPs regarding non-traditional delivery settings for MSDs.