Utilization and Public Opinion Surveys

Additional studies have assessed the utilization and acceptance of chiropractic services throughout Canada and the United States. A few of these studies are described in subsequent paragraphs:

A survey in the province of Ontario revealed that a majority of MDs in family practice (62%) were referring patients to chiropractors. Nearly half of these MDs (42.3%) had been referring patients for the past 1-5 years, with the referral rate being slightly higher among MDs who had graduated before 1960 (60%) and between 1960 and 1980 (63%) than for those who had graduated in the past 10 years (53.8%). In addition, the study revealed that 9.5% of these MDs had received chiropractic care themselves (Patel-Christopher 1990).

A Gallup poll conducted in the United States and reported in March of 1991 examined the attitudes and behaviors of both users and nonusers of chiropractic services. Of the users of chiropractic services:

90% felt chiropractic treatment was effective; more than 80% were satisfied with their treatment; nearly 73% felt most of their expectations had been met during their visits; 68% would see a chiropractor again for treatment of a similar condition; 30% would likely see a chiropractor again for other conditions.

Of the non-users of chiropractic services:

62% indicated they would see a doctor of chiropractic for a problem applicable to chiropractic treatment; 23% reported that someone in their household had been treated by a chiropractor, and nearly 80% of those were satisfied with that treatment.

A 1983 survey of North Dakota residents, also conducted by the Gallup Organization, indicated that awareness and use of chiropractic services in the state were very high. Nearly 100% of the residents had heard of chiropractors, and almost half of the residents (49%) reported that they had been examined or treated by a chiropractor at some time. One in six residents (17%) had seen a chiropractor in the past year.