Americans’ Perceptions of Chiropractic Care
Palmer College commissioned Gallup to conduct perception research from 2015 to 2018. This research, distilled into a four-part series of reports, outlines Americans’ perceptions of chiropractic care.
In 2020, Palmer College published “The Case for Chiropractic: How Chiropractic Care Benefits Patients and Insurers.â€
Key Gallup-Palmer College Findings
2015: Americans’ Perceptions of Chiropractic
- Two-thirds (61%) of adult Americans believe chiropractors are effective at treating neck and back pain.
- The majority (57%) of adults are likely to see a chiropractor for neck or back pain.
- More than 1/2 of all U.S. adults have visited a chiropractor, and more than 1/4 of them would choose chiropractic care first for back or neck pain.
- Nearly 1/2 of all U.S. adults don’t know if their insurance covers chiropractic care.
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2016: Chiropractic is Safe, Effective, Affordable Care
- Nearly 62 million U.S. adults (25%) went to a chiropractor in the last five years. More than half (35.5 million) said they went in the last 12 months—up slightly from the 33.6 million in last year’s survey.
- Three in four of those who saw a chiropractor in the last year (75%) described chiropractic care as “very effective.â€
- 88% of recent chiropractic patients agreed the quality of care they received was a good value for the money they paid.
2017: Americans Prefer Drug-Free Pain Management Over Opioids
- 78% prefer to try other ways to address their physical pain before they take pain medication prescribed by a doctor.
- 27% of U.S. adults have seen a health-care professional for significant neck or back pain in the last 12 months. Of those adults, more than half (54%) have had an ongoing problem with neck or back pain for five years or more.
- Education about chiropractic care increases the likelihood people will go to a chiropractor, especially for Black patients and younger adults.
2018: Managing Neck and Back Pain in America
- 67% of Americans suffering from neck or back pain want to see a professional who treats neck or back pain using a variety of methods including prescription medication or surgery. Still, 79% of U.S. adults would prefer to try to address their neck or back pain using methods other than prescription medication or surgery first.
- Roughly nine out of 10 adults who saw a chiropractor most often for significant neck or back pain in the last 12 months say their chiropractor often listens (93%), provides convenient, quick access to care (93%), demonstrates care/compassion (91%) and explains things well (88%). Similar percentages exist for physical therapists.
- Adults who saw a medical doctor most often for neck or back pain are less likely to say their health care provider did these things – although majorities still do. Seventy-two percent say their medical doctor listens, 67% say their medical doctor explains things well, and 66% say they demonstrate care/compassion.
2020: The Case for Chiropractic: How Chiropractic Care Benefits Patients and Insurers
- Low-back pain is the No. 1 cause of disability worldwide and the top reason opioids are prescribed.
- UnitedHealthCare projects significant cost-savings for patients when they incorporate chiropractic care for back pain. Patients receiving 75% of care from a chiropractor result in a 23% reduction in cost savings; patients receiving 90% of care from a chiropractor result in a 52% reduction in cost.
- Incorporating chiropractic care is forecasted to result in a 22% decrease in the number of spinal imaging tests; 21% decrease in spinal surgeries and 19% decrease in opioid usage.
- Medicare patients drastically reduce annual costs with chiropractic care. Two million insurance subscribers report total annual health care costs to be 30-50% less with chiropractic care than with medical doctor-only care for back pain.
Patient Education Materials
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