New Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Survey: Three in Four Patients Describe Chiropractic Care as ‘Very Effective’

Consumers need alternatives to opioids for neck and back pain

DAVENPORT, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Low-back pain is the single leading cause of physical disability
worldwide, according to the Global
Burden of Disease Study 2013.

A Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic study released today about
Americans’ perceptions of chiropractic found that nearly two-thirds of
U.S. adults (65 percent) report having had neck or back pain significant
enough that they saw a health-care professional at some point in their
lives, demonstrating a significant need for back-pain treatment in the
U.S. The “Gallup-Palmer
College of Chiropractic Annual Report: Americans’ Perceptions of
Chiropractic, comes from the second annual Gallup-Palmer survey of
American attitudes about chiropractic care.

“Many Americans reported dealing with significant neck or back pain,”
said Cynthia English, Gallup research consultant in charge of the study.
“Among U.S. adults who sought professional care for neck or back pain,
seven in 10 (71 percent) tell us they have been to a doctor of
chiropractic.”

This year’s study also found that among the myriad of treatment options
available for back and neck pain, perceptions among U.S. adults vary
regarding the effectiveness and risks associated with each. U.S. adults
are more likely to describe chiropractic care as “very safe” and “very
effective” than to say this about pain medications or back surgery.

“Low-back pain and neck pain place a tremendous burden on our society,”
said Christine Goertz, D.C., Ph.D., vice chancellor for research and
health policy at Palmer College of Chiropractic. “The opioid-overuse
epidemic in the United States demonstrates that Americans need safe,
effective, conservative health-care alternatives to prescription pain
killers.”

The Gallup-Palmer report found that many Americans are choosing
chiropractic, and a large majority of those who do describe the care as
“very effective” and a good value for the money they pay.

Nearly 62 million U.S. adults (25 percent) went to a chiropractor in the
last five years, with more than half (35.5 million) saying they went in
the last 12 months. Adults who’ve seen a chiropractor in the last 12
months are generally very positive about their experience. About three
in four of these adults (77 percent) describe the treatment they
received as “very effective.” Eighty-eight percent of recent
chiropractic patients agree the quality of care they received was a good
value for the money.

Highlights of the study
results are online.

Results of the Gallup-Palmer report are based on a Gallup Panel study of
7,645 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Feb. 8 to March 11,
2016, via the Web and by mail. The maximum margin of sampling error for
this study is ±1.8 percentage points, with a 95 percent confidence level.

Palmer College of Chiropractic is the founding college of the
chiropractic profession, and is known as The Trusted Leader in
Chiropractic Education®. It was founded in 1897, in Davenport, Iowa, by
D.D. Palmer, the discoverer of chiropractic. Palmer College of
Chiropractic has approximately 2,200 students at its campuses in
Davenport, Iowa; Port Orange, Fla.; and San Jose, Calif.

Contacts

Palmer College of Chiropractic
Lori Leipold, 563-884-5726
Public
Relations Manager
lori.leipold@palmer.edu
or
Gallup
Johnathan
Tozer, 202-715-3088
Global Communications Director
Johnathan_Tozer@Gallup.com