Chiropractic Cost-Effectiveness At Your Fingertips

Chiropractic Cost-Effectiveness At Your Fingertips

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE:   Virginia Chiropractic Association

The Path to Change in the US Healthcare System:
Chiropractic Cost-Effectiveness

The following is a collection of studies relating to the cost effectiveness and efficacy associated with chiropractic care and the procedures that doctors of chiropractic provide. The American Chiropractic Association, The International Chiropractic Association, The Congress of State Associations, and the Association of Chiropractic Colleges appreciate the opportunity to provide these materials for your review.

All These Articles And More Are Available On Our:
The Cost-Effectiveness of Chiropractic Page

BACKGROUND STUDIES: (Regarding Medical Management)

Prognosis in Patients With Recent Onset Low Back Pain in Australian Primary Care: Inception cohort study
British Medical Journal 2008 (Jul 7); 337: a171 ~ FULL TEXT

This study contradicts Clinical Practice Guidelines that suggest that recovery from an episode of recent onset low back pain is usually rapid and complete.   Their findings with 973 consecutive primary care patients was that recovery was slow for most patients, and almost 1/3 of patients did not recover within after one year, while following standard medical management. This study was designed to determine the one year prognosis of patients with low back pain. 973 patients with low back pain that had lasted less than 2 weeks completed a baseline questionnaire. Patients were reassessed through a phone interview at six weeks, three months and 12 months. The study found that the prognosis claimed in clinical guidelines was more favorable than the actual prognosis for the patients in the study.

          

This study contradicts the commonly held belief that low back pain will extinguish with simple core exercises. This study provided significant benefits for only 1 out of 5 LPB sufferers.   Researchers followed 790 patients who initially sought care for low back pain from 70 different caregivers. After 5 years, only 21% of patients studied reported no continued pain while only 37% reported no disability. Pain and disability scores dropped significantly at 6 months, then remained somewhat consistent at 2 yrs and 5 yrs. Nonspecific regular exercise did not affect recovery. Between 27% and 66% of the study population experienced a recurrence of low back pain.

          

Prior studies have concluded that musculoskeletal medical education is inadequate; yet, musculoskeletal complaints are one of the most common reasons for seeking physician care. The researchers in this study compared the results of 154 fourth-year chiropractic interns that completed the Basic Competency Examination in musculoskeletal medicine. Most interns passed the test with results that were considerably better than those of recent medical graduates and physical therapy doctorate students. The chiropractic intern scores were also higher than those of orthopedic staff physicians. The 51%-64% success rate of chiropractors was almost double the 20%-30% rate of medical students and doctors.

          

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