Patient Satisfaction Studies

Patient satisfaction studies have consistently shown that patients are extremely satisfied with the care they receive from chiropractors and far less satisfied with the care they receive from medical practitioners.

• The Gallup Study
• The Harris Poll
• Patient Evaluations of Care from Family Physicians and Chiropractors
• The Manga Report

The Gallup Study

In 1991 the Gallup Organization performed a nationwide demographic study to determine the attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of both users and nonusers of chiropractic services.

Their findings...

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.

1. Demographic Characteristics of Users of Chiropractic Services. The Gallup Organization, Princeton, New Jersey - 1991.

page top

The Harris Poll

According to this 1994 Harris Poll, patients were more satisfied with chiropractic care than care from medical doctors and other health care professionals.

Those who sought care from a chiropractor were more likely to be very satisfied with their care than those who visited any other practitioner. (Choices were between Chiropractic Doctors, Medical Doctors, Physical Therapists, or Osteopathic Doctors) Of those who have seen both types of practitioner, the majority were more likely to be satisfied with the care of the chiropractor than with that of the medical doctor.

1. 1994 Harris Poll.

page top

Patient Evaluations of Care from Family Physicians and Chiropractors

Findings from this study indicate that patients under chiropractic care had 3 times the satisfaction rate as did patients under the care of Family Physicians. In addition, the patient's perception of the doctor's confidence in diagnosing and treating low back pain was almost 3 times higher in patients receiving chiropractic care compared with those receiving care from family physicians.

1. Patient Evaluations of Care from Family Physicians and Chiropractors. Cherkin, D., MacCornack, F. Western Journal of Medicine - 1989;150:351-355.

page top

The Manga Report

As the largest existing analysis of scientific literature on low back pain, the 1993 Ontario Ministry of Health commissioned study drew international attention when it recommended the management of low back pain be moved from medical doctors to chiropractic doctors.

Due to serious financial problems with the Canadian governments, the different types of treatments for low back conditions were evaluated in an effort to reduce and contain health care costs. Their findings showed chiropractic manipulation was the most cost effective and efficacious care for low back pain.

According to lead investigator Pran Manga, Ph.D.,

"There is good empirical evidence that patients are very satisfied with chiropractic management of low back pain and considerably less satisfied with medical physician management."

1. The Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain. Pran Manga and Associates. University of Ottawa, Canada - 1993.

page top