Symptomatic Outcomes and Perceived Satisfaction Levels of Chiropractic Patients With a Primary Diagnosis Involving Acute Neck Pain
Received 31 March 2004; received in revised form 24 June 2005; accepted 14 November 2005.
Objective
The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which a group of patients with acute neck pain managed with chiropractic manipulative therapy benefited from chiropractic care and the degree to which they were subsequently satisfied.
Methods
A two-part retrospective survey, each composed of 14 questions. One part was completed by practicing doctors of chiropractic concerning various aspects of their treatment for patients with former acute neck pain. In the second part, these same patients responded to a telephone survey to measure pre- and posttreatment pain levels and their level of satisfaction with the treatment they received. Chiropractic manipulative therapy was the primary independent variable, although other therapies were used, such as physical therapy, nutritional advice, and exercise.
Results
A total of 115 patients were contacted, of whom 94 became study participants, resulting in 60 women (64%) and 34 men. The mean age was 39.6 years (SD, 15.7). The mean number of visits was 24.5 (SD, 21.2). Pain levels improved significantly from a mean of 7.6 (median, 8.0) before treatment to 1.9 (median, 2.0) after treatment (P < .0001). The overall patient satisfaction rate was 94%.
Conclusion
Patients with acute neck pain involved in this study seemed to be satisfied with chiropractic treatment and reported reductions in associated pain levels and activity restrictions. However, because of the study's design and limitations, care must be taken before drawing firm conclusions from the data presented.
aAssociate Professor, Palmer College of Chiropractic West, San Jose, Calif
Submit requests for reprints to: Michael Haneline, DC, MPH, Associate Professor, Palmer College of Chiropractic West, 90 E Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95134.
Sources of support: No external funds were provided for this research.
ABSTRACT