Chiropractic: Proof Positive

The following information is adapted from ACA's Proof Positive Brochure Series

Independent Studies Attest to Chiropractic's Effectiveness

For the past century, doctors of chiropractic have offered patients relief from numerous types of health problems, the source of which originated in the back and spine. Chiropractic procedure has often been successful when medical treatment has failed. This has been confirmed by an unlimited number of anecdotal and clinical experiences.

In recent years, numerous scientific studies have been conducted throughout the world to determine and record specifically the effectiveness of chiropractic care--among them research by non-chiropractic professionals to provide more objectivity. Following are synopses of three major studies, which demonstrated that:

Chiropractic is SAFER

Chiropractic is LESS COSTLY

Chiropractic Offers RELIEF.

Chiropractic is:

SAFER

"Chiropractic manipulation is safer than medical management of low-back pain."
--The Manga Report

The Manga Report, commissioned by the Ministry of Health in Ontario, Canada and carried out by leading, independent health economists at the University of Ottawa and headed by Pran Manga, PhD, reviewed all of the international evidence on the management of low-back pain. It concluded:

  • There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of low-back pain was transferred from physicians to chiropractors.
  • There should be a "shift in policy to encourage and prefer chiropractic services for most patients with low-back pain," and chiropractic should "be fully insured (and) fully integrated" into the Ontario health-care system.
  • "The overwhelming body of evidence" shows that chiropractic management of low-back pain is more cost-effective than medical management, and that "many medical therapies are of questionable validity or are clearly inadequate..." It also stated, "Chiropractic manipulation is safer than medical management of low-back pain."
  • "Chiropractic management is greatly superior to medical management in terms of scientific validity, safety, cost-effectiveness and patient satisfaction."

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Chiropractic is:

LESS COSTLY

"Patients that receive chiropractic care, either solely or in conjunction with medical care experience significantly lower health-care costs."
--Stano/Medstat Research

Miron Stano, PhD, Oakland University, conducted a study comparing the health-care costs for chiropractic and medical patients. The database he used came from the records of MEDSTAT Systems, Inc., a health benefits management consulting firm which processes insurance claims for many of the country's largest corporations. The database was comprised of 395,641 patients, 42,215 of which were Michigan patients.

After reviewing claims paid over a two-year period, he concluded:

  • Patients who receive chiropractic care, either solely or in conjunction with medical care, experienced "significantly lower health-care costs... on the order of $1,000 each over the two-year period" than those who received only medical care. Specifically, total insurance payments were $1,138 (30% higher) for those who elected medical care only.
  • The lower costs for chiropractic patients were attributal both to lower in-patient and out-patient costs, and indicated that "chiropractic treatment substitutes for other forms of out-patient care."

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Chiropractic Offers:

RELIEF

"More than 80% of patients found their expectations for chiropractic care to be met..."
--Gallup Study

A study by the Gallup Organization, reported in March 1991, was conducted to determine the attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of both users and non-users of chiropractic services. Overall, 90% felt that chiropractic health care was effective: more than 80% were satisfied with the treatment they received; nearly 75% felt that most of their expectations were met during the last visit or series of visits; 68% said they would likely see a doctor of chiropractic again for treatment of a similar condition, and 50% would likely be willing to see a doctor of chiropractic for some other problem chiropractors treat.

Nearly 80% of the chiropractic users felt that the cost of chiropractic treatment was reasonable.

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