The Effect of Reduced Access to Chiropractic Care on Medical Service Use for Spine Conditions Among Older Adults

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which access to chiropractic care affects medical service use among older adults with spine conditions.MethodsWe used Medicare claims data to identify a cohort of 39,278 older adult chiropractic care users who relocated during 2010-2014 and thus experienced a change in geographic access to chiropractic care. National Plan and Provider Enumeration System data were used to determine chiropractor per population ratios across the United States. A reduction in access to chiropractic care was defined as decreasing 1 quintile or more in chiropractor per population ratio after relocation. Using a difference-in-difference analysis (before versus after relocation), we compared the use of medical services among those who experienced a reduction in access to chiropractic care versus those who did not.ResultsAmong those who experienced a reduction in access to chiropractic care (versus those who did not), we observed an increase in the rate of visits to primary care physicians for spine conditions (an annual increase of 32.3 visits, 95% CI: 1.4-63.1 per 1,000) and rate of spine surgeries (an annual increase of 5.5 surgeries, 95% CI: 1.3-9.8 per 1,000). Considering the mean cost of a visit to a primary care physician and spine surgery, a reduction in access to chiropractic care was associated with an additional cost of $114,967 per 1,000 beneficiaries on medical services ($391 million nationally).ConclusionsAmong older adults, reduced access to chiropractic care is associated with an increase in the use of some medical services for spine conditions.     

An Investigation of Chiropractor-Directed Weight-Loss Interventions: Secondary Analysis of O-COAST

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate weight-loss interventions offered by Canadian doctors of chiropractic to their adult patients.MethodsThis paper reports a secondary analysis of data from the Ontario Chiropractic Observation and Analysis STudy (N_c = 42 chiropractors, N_p = 2162 patient encounters). Multilevel logistic regression was performed to assess the odds of chiropractors initiating or continuing weight management interventions with patients. Two chiropractor variables and 8 patient-level variables were investigated for influence on chiropractor-directed weight management. In addition, the interaction between the effects of patient weight and comorbidity on weight management interventions by chiropractors was assessed.ResultsAround two-thirds (61.3%) of patients who sought chiropractic care were either overweight or had obesity. Very few patients had weight loss managed by their chiropractor. Among patients with body mass index equal to or greater than 18.5 kg/m², guideline recommended weight management was initiated or continued by Ontario chiropractors in only 5.4% of encounters. Chiropractors did not offer weight management interventions at different rates among patients who were of normal weight, overweight, or obese (P value = 0.23). Chiropractors who graduated after 2005 who may have been exposed to reforms in chiropractic education to include public health were significantly more likely to offer weight management than chiropractors who graduated between 1995 and 2005 (odds ratio 0.02; 95% CI [0.00-0.13]) or before 1995 (odds ratio 0.08; 95% CI [0.01-0.42]).ConclusionThe prevalence of weight management interventions offered to patients by Canadian chiropractors in Ontario was low. Health care policy and continued chiropractic educational reforms may provide further direction to improve weight-loss interventions offered by doctors of chiropractic to their patients.     

Patient Willingness to Pay for Reductions in Chronic Low Back Pain and Chronic Neck Pain

Many recommended nonpharmacologic therapies for patients with chronic spinal pain require visits to providers such as acupuncturists and chiropractors. Little information is available to inform third-party payers’ coverage policies regarding ongoing use of these therapies. This study offers contingent valuation-based estimates of patient willingness to pay (WTP) for pain reductions from a large (n = 1,583) sample of patients using ongoing chiropractic care to manage their chronic low back and neck pain. Average WTP estimates were $45.98 (45.8) per month per 1-point reduction in current pain for chronic low back pain and $37.32 (38.0) for chronic neck pain. These estimates met a variety of validity checks including that individuals’ values define a downward-sloping demand curve for these services. Comparing these WTP estimates with patients’ actual use of chiropractic care over the next 3 months indicates that these patients are likely “buying” perceived pain reductions from what they believe their pain would have been if they didn't see their chiropractor—that is, they value maintenance of their current mild pain levels. These results provide some evidence for copay levels and their relationship to patient demand, but call into question ongoing coverage policies that require the documentation of continued improvement or of experienced clinical deterioration with treatment withdrawal.PerspectiveThis study provides estimates of reported WTP for pain reduction from a large sample of patients using chiropractic care to manage their chronic spinal pain and compares these estimates to what these patients do for care over the next 3 months, to inform coverage policies for ongoing care.     

Chiropractic patients in Denmark: a short description of basic characteristics

BACKGROUND: The vast majority of information on chiropractic and chiropractic patients originates from English-speaking countries. Lately, however, reports describing chiropractic patients and practice in other European countries have emerged. OBJECTIVE: To describe basic characteristics of Danish chiropractic patients. DESIGN: Survey questionnaire. All chiropractic clinics in Denmark were asked to collect information on new patients during 1 randomly assigned week in 1999. SETTING: Private chiropractic practice and a nonprofit research institution. OUTCOME MEASURES: Age and sex, location and duration of chief complaint, pain intensity, limitation of activities of daily living from chief complaint, and mode of referral. RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of all chiropractic clinics in Denmark participated in the study. Out of 2020 patients from the participating clinics, 1897 (94%) filled out a self-administered questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 42 years, and slightly more women than men returned the questionnaire. By far the most frequent area of complaint was pain related to the lower back (50%) followed by pain related to the neck (15%). The majority of patients had complaints in the subacute or chronic category (duration 1-6 months). Patients with sciatica had significantly higher pain scores and limitation in activities of daily living (ADL) than any other group, whereas patients with neck pain tended to score lower. Patients in the subacute category had the highest pain scores and limitation in ADL. For complaints lasting more than 6 months, limitation in ADL remained constant at a low level. Twenty-three percent of all patients were referred to the chiropractor, most frequently by a general medical practitioner. More than half of all patients had previously been treated for the same or similar problems, most frequently by a chiropractor. Fifty-one percent had also received chiropractic care for other types of problems. CONCLUSIONS: Most Danish chiropractic patients complain of pain related to the low back or neck of between 1 and 6 months' duration. This study confirms that chiropractic is fairly well integrated in the Danish primary health care system. There are differences between the chiropractic patient population in Denmark compared with that of Sweden and Holland.     

Assessing Adverse Events After Chiropractic Care at a Chiropractic Teaching Clinic: An Active-Surveillance Pilot Study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the feasibility of implementing an active-surveillance reporting system within a chiropractic teaching clinic and subsequently determining the frequency of adverse events (AEs) after treatment administered by chiropractic interns.MethodsInterns were invited to collect data from patients using 3 questionnaires that recorded patient symptom change: 2 completed by the patient (before and 7 days after treatment) and 1 completed by the intern (immediately after treatment). Worsened and new symptoms were considered AEs. Qualitative interviews were conducted with clinicians and interns to assess the feasibility of implementing the reporting system, with resulting data categorized under 4 domains: acceptability, implementation, practicality, and integration.ResultsOf the 174 eligible interns, 80 (46.0%) collected data from 364 patient encounters, with 119 (32.7%) returning their posttreatment form. Of the 89 unique patients (mean age = 39.5 years; 58.4% female, 41.6% male), 40.1% presented with low back pain and 31.1% with neck pain. After treatment, 25 symptoms (8.9%) were identified as AEs, mostly reported by patients as worsening discomfort or pain. Data from qualitative interviews suggest that the AE reporting system was well accepted; however, proposed specific modifications include use of longitudinal electronic surveys.ConclusionOur findings suggest that it is feasible to conduct an active-surveillance reporting system at a chiropractic teaching clinic. Important barriers and facilitators were identified and will be used to inform future work regarding patient safety education and research.     

Recognition of prodromal cervical spondylotic myelopathy presenting in a U.S. Veteran referred to chiropractic for acute thoracic pain: A case report

ObjectiveTo highlight a patient who was referred to a VA chiropractic clinic for thoracic pain and upon physical exam was found to be myelopathic, subsequently requiring surgery.Clinical featuresA 58-year-old male attended a telephone interview with the VA chiropractic clinic for thoracic pain of 4 months duration; he denied neck pain, upper extremity symptoms or clumsiness of the feet or hands. At his in-person visit, he acknowledged frequently dropping items. The physical examination revealed signs of myelopathy including positive Hoffman's bilaterally, 3+ brisk patellar reflexes, and 5+ beats of ankle clonus bilaterally. He also had difficulty walking heel/toe.Intervention and outcomeCervical and thoracic radiographs were ordered and a referral was placed to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Clinic for evaluation of the abnormal neurologic exam and suspicion of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). He was treated for 2 visits in the chiropractic clinic for his thoracic pain, with resolution of thoracic symptoms. No treatment was rendered to the cervical spine.The PM&R physician ordered a cervical MRI which demonstrated severe central canal stenosis and increased T2 signal within the cord at C5–C6, representing myelopathic changes. The PM&R specialist referred him to Neurosurgery which resulted in a C5-6, C6-7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.ConclusionThe importance of physical examination competency and routine thoroughness cannot be overstated. Swift identification of pathologic signs by the treating chiropractor resulted in timely imaging and surgical intervention.     

Risk of an Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visit or Hospitalization Among Older Breast,Colorectal, Lung,and Prostate Cancer Survivors

ObjectiveTo assess whether long-term cancer survivors (≥5 years after diagnosis) are at an increased risk of experiencing an opioid-related emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization compared with persons without cancer.MethodsA 1:1 matched retrospective cohort study was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare linked data sets. The analysis was conducted from October 2020 to December 2020 in persons who lived 5 years or more after a breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer diagnosis matched to noncancer controls on the basis of age, sex, race, pain conditions, and previous opioid use. Fine-Gray regression models were used to assess the relationship between cancer survivorship status and opioid-related ED visit or hospitalization.ResultsThe incidence of opioid-related ED visits and hospitalizations was 51.2 (95% CI, 43.5 to 59.8) and 62.2 (95% CI, 53.4 to 72.1) per 100,000 person-years among cancer survivors and matched noncancer controls, respectively. No significant association was observed between survivorship and opioid-related adverse event among opioid naive (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.02) and non-naive (hazard ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.89) cohorts.ConclusionCancer survivors and noncancer controls had a similar risk of an ED visit or inpatient admission. Guidelines and policies should promote nonopioid pain management approaches especially to opioid non-naive older adults, a population at high risk for an opioid-related ED visit or hospitalization.