There
have been a number of
large investigations
conducted on
chiropractic by the
American, Canadian, New
Zealand, Swedish and
Australian governments
over the last few
decades. Their findings
have supported the
safety,
effectiveness, and
efficacy of
Chiropractic.
THE AGENCY ON HEALTH
CARE POLICY AND RESEARCH
STUDY
On December 8, 1994, the
Agency for Health
Care Policy and Research
(AHCPR) of the US
Department of Health and
Human Services released
Clinical Practice
Guidelines for the
management of acute low
back pain. One major
conclusion of this
landmark study was:
THE MANGA REPORT
As the largest existing
analysis of scientific
literature on low back
pain, the 1993 Ontario
Ministry of Health
commissioned study drew
international attention
when it
recommended the
management of low back
pain be moved from
medical doctors to
chiropractic doctors.
The Canadian Government
report concluded with
the following findings:
The
Effectiveness and Cost
Effectiveness of
Chiropractic Management
of Low-Back Pain.
Pran Manga and
Associates. University
of Ottawa, Canada -
1993.
THE NEW ZEALAND
COMMISSION REPORT
This 377 page report,
Chiropractic In New
Zealand, was
the most comprehensive
and detailed independent
examination of
chiropractic ever
undertaken at that time.
The report withstood
judicial hearings and
extensive investigations
by the Commission in New
Zealand, the United
States, Canada, England
and Australia. Their
report includes the
following findings:
New Zealand Report. Hasselberg PD. Government Printer, Wellington - 1979
British Medical Research
Council Study
Revealed that spinal
manipulation performed
by chiropractors was
more effective
than alternative
treatments for low-back
pain.
The
Effectiveness and Cost
Effectiveness of
Chiropractic Management
of Low-Back Pain
(The Manga Report). Pran
Manga and Associates
(1993) - University of
Ottawa, Canada.
British Medical
Journal
According to medical
researcher TW Meade,
M.D. "...chiropractic
is a very effective
treatment, more
effective than
conventional hospital
outpatient treatment for
low-back pain,
particularly in patients
who had back pain in the
past and who got severe
problems".
Low Back Pain of Mechanical Origin: Randomized Comparison of Chiropractic and Hospital Outpatient Treatment. Meade, TW et al British Medical Journal - 1990;300:1431-1437.
THE RAND CORPORATION
STUDY
This study, conducted by
the prestigious RAND
Corporation, marks
the first time
representatives of the
U.S. medical
community have
gone on record stating
that
chiropractic is an
appropriate treatment
for certain low back
pain conditions.
The Appropriateness of Spinal Manipulation for Lower Back Pain. Shekelle PG, et al. RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California - 1992.
THE AV-MED STUDY
In this 1993 study, 80
patients who previously
received medical
treatment were
subsequently referred to
the Silverman
Chiropractic Center. Of
the 80 patients, 21
percent had just been
diagnosed with spinal
disc problems, 12
percent had been
diagnosed as requiring
surgery and 5 percent
had received emergency
room treatment.
Following chiropractic
treatment, none of the
patients were required
to have surgery, 86
percent of the patients
needed no further care,
and the estimated health
care savings in the
group of 80 was
estimated to be
$250,000.
THE ANNALS OF INTERNAL
MEDICINE STUDY
The use, complications,
and efficacy of spinal
manipulation for low
back pain was reviewed
in the Annals of
Internal Medicine,
the third most widely
read medical journal.
The article concluded
that spinal
manipulation
clearly helps
patients with
uncomplicated, acute low
back pain.
Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain. Shekelle P, et al. Annals of Internal Medicine - 1992;117:590-598.
Chiropractic Treatment
vs. Physiotherapy
Spinal manipulation
provided greater
improvement of symptoms
in those suffering from
persistent back and neck
complaints
compared with physical
therapy. The patients
receiving spinal
manipulation also had
greater improvements of
physical functioning in
fewer visits.
Randomized Clinical Trial of Manipulative Therapy and Physiotherapy for Persistent Back and Neck Complaints: Results of One Year Follow Up. Koes, B.W. et al. British Medical Journal - 1992;304:601-605.
Chiropractic Treatment
vs. Outpatient Hospital
Treatment by P.T.'s and
M.D.'s
In this study, British
medical
researchers found
chiropractic
treatmentsignificantly
more effective than
hospital outpatient
treatment,
especially in patients
with chronic and severe
back pain. Significantly
fewer patients needed to
return for further
treatments at the end of
the first and second
year in those who
received chiropractic
care (17% compared with
24%). In addition, "two
and three years after
patients with back pain
were treated by
chiropractors, they
experienced far less
pain than those who were
treated by medical
doctors."
The
Effectiveness and Cost
Effectiveness of
Chiropractic Management
of Low-Back Pain
(The Manga Report). Pran
Manga and Associates
(1993) - University of
Ottawa, Canada.
THE GALLUP STUDY
In 1991 the Gallup
Organization performed a
nationwide demographic
study to determine the
attitudes, opinions, and
behaviors of both users
and nonusers of
chiropractic services.
Their findings? Overall,
90% felt that
chiropractic health care
was effective
THE HARRIS POLL
According to this 1994
Harris Poll, patients
were more
satisfied with
chiropractic care than
care from medical
doctors and
other health care
professionals.
Patient Evaluations of
Care from Family
Physicians and
Chiropractors
Findings from this study
indicate that patients
under chiropractic care
had 3 times the
satisfaction rate as did
patients under the care
of family physicians.
In addition,
the patient's perception
of the doctor's
confidence in diagnosing
and treating low back
pain was almost 3 times
higher in patients
receiving chiropractic
care compared with those
receiving care from
family physicians.
Patient
Evaluations of Care from
Family Physicians and
Chiropractors.
Cherkin, D., MacCornack,
F. Western
Journal of Medicine -
1989;150:351-355.