Quality of Life/Wellness
Chiropractic Care for Children Found Safe and Effective
Preliminary results of two survey studies is finding chiropractic care for children to be safe, effective and offer additional health benefits as well.
Here are the abstracts from the ICPA:
1-Treatment-related aggravations, complications and improvements
attributed to chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy of pediatric
patients: a practice-based survey of practitioners.
Alcantara, J, Ohm, J, and Kunz, D
Objective
To investigate the iatrogenesis and symptom improvements associated with chiropractic
spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) of pediatric patients.
Conclusion
This study suggests that the chiropractic SMT care of children is safe
and effective.
2-Treatment-related aggravations, complications and improvements
attributed to chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy of pediatric
patients: a survey of parents.
Alcantara, J, Ohm, J, and Kunz, D
Conclusion
This study
provides supporting evidence on the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic
SMT in children based on parental reports.
Read the abstract here
Outcome studies measuring health related quality
of life (HRQL) are becoming increasingly sought as measures as to the
value of a health intervention. In outcomes studies the overall wellness
or well-being of a person is explored to ask the question, "Is this intervention truly benefiting the overall health
of the patient or are we just treating symptoms or having a minimal effect
on this patient's life?" That is very important because doctors can give
a patient a drug to lower their high blood pressure, but the result may be
impotence. Doctors may give a drug to lower high cholesterol and the result
may be suicide. Doctors may give a ability to relate to their environment
rather than the diagnosis and treatment of symptoms and diseases.
Patient preference for wellness care: Is it on the
menu? BLUM CL, GLOBE G, GREENE J Chiropr
Educ: SPR 2006(20:1)
- INTRODUCTION: Wellness care is a relatively popular topic in the emerging health care arena. Consumers are seeking better ways to prevent the onset of chronic diseases and even the common affects of aging by increasing their use of alternative approaches to getting and staying well including preventing illness. Currently, patient preferences for wellness care are relatively low within the profession, ranging near the 10% level depending on the study. The World Federation of Chiropractic’s “Consultation on Identity” found that only 6% of patients seek wellness care.
- One question posed is, will patients seek out chiropractors more if they increase their level of orthodox preventive health screenings and recommendations? Will a patient seek out a chiropractor for wellness any more than they would an allopathic health care provider? Clearly, in light of the inconclusive research evidence base on chiropractic alternative techniques, a balanced approach to wellness, inclusive of both normative public health promotion objectives as well as a reasonable approach to offering chiropractic alternative methods, should remain within the realm of discussion.
- RESULTS: The most interesting finding
is the variable of Health Behavior where 42.1% percent of patients
presented to these chiropractor’s
offices without a specific focused complaint. These patients either
presented for wellness, prevention of illness or perceived they were
at risk for injury.
WR Boone Bio, Ph.D., DC; Paul Oswald Bio, B.Sc.; Kelly Holt, Bio, B.Sc.; Randy Beck Bio, Ph.D., DC.; Kanwal Singh Bio, MD; Andrew Ashton Bio, B.Sc.
JVSR July 5, 2006, pp 1-6
- Objective: A pilot study to gather preliminary information regarding chiropractic care and possible links to immune status and improved aspects of health and quality of life.
- Conclusion: This pilot study has provided some preliminary information regarding chiropractic care and possible links to immune status and improved aspects of health and quality of life. Limited numbers of subjects, however, preclude definitive conclusions. Larger studies, including ill and healthy populations, to investigate the parameters presented herein and others such as killer cell activity will be necessary to test the conclusions presented.
- Objective: To review existing literature documenting objectively measured physiologic changes and their associated health benefits subsequent to chiropractic adjustments, primarily in asymptomatic individuals.
- Conclusion: The data reviewed lend support to the contention that chiropractic adjustments, often for the purpose of correcting vertebral subluxation, confer measurable health benefits to people regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. A significant amount of preliminary evidence supports that people without symptoms can benefit from chiropractic care. Improved function can be objectively measured in asymptomatic individuals following chiropractic care in a number of body systems often by relatively non-invasive means. It is plausible that chiropractic care may be of benefit to every function of the body and have the potential for long-term, overall health benefit to those receiving chiropractic care.
A longitudinal assessment of chiropractic care using a survey of self-rated health wellness & quality of life: a preliminary study. Marino MJ and Phillippa ML. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 1999; 3 (2): 1-9
- From the abstract: This longitudinal study evaluated changes in self-rated health status of patient receiving chiropractic care at the training clinic of the New Zealand School of Chiropractic. The study was designed to assess subluxation-based chiropractic care in association with changes in patients' perceived health status. The Self-Rated Health/Wellness Survey (SRHW) was used to evaluate the health status on two occasions, "initial" and "follow-up." The instrument assessed health across four domains, Physical State, Emotional/Mental State, Stress and Life Enjoyment. Collectively, these four domains, assessed initially and after a follow-up period, constituted Combined Wellness, or a fifth domain. Quality of Life was evaluated as a sixth domain of the questionnaire instrument.
- The study population included 89 subjects, evaluated over a five-month study period. The average interval between initial and follow-up surveys was 8.0+/- 3.2 weeks, with an average number of visits of 9.1 +/- 4.2. A bivariate analysis was conducted using a two tailed, paired, sample t-test to assess the subjects' survey responses. Subjects reported significant positive perceived changes in Physical State (p=0.000) Mental/Emotional State (p=0.008), and Combined Wellness (p=0.001), with corresponding effect sizes of 0.61, 0.24 and 0.31 respectively. The improvement in the Physical and Mental/Emotional State, and Combined Wellness suggests that chiropractic care provided through the NZ School of Chiropractic is associated with significant benefits in these domains.
- Study data suggested that health/ wellness may accrue with time under care. Thus, further study with a larger sample size and longer duration of care is proposed to more thoroughly investigate possible health benefits in the areas studied, as well as to confirm present findings.
A retrospective assessment of network care using a survey of self-rated health, wellness and quality of life. Blanks, RHI, Schuster, TL. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 1997; 1 (4): 1
- From the abstract: The present study represents a retrospective characterization of Network Care, a health care discipline within the subluxation-based chiropractic model. Data were obtained from 156 Network offices (49% practitioners participation rate) in the United States, Canada, Australia and Puerto Rico. This was a survey of 2818 patients of 156 Network chiropractic offices. Results indicated that patients reported significant positive perceived change in all four domains of health, as well as overall quality of life. The evidence of improved health in the four domains (physical state, mental/emotional state, stress evaluation, life enjoyment), overall quality of life from a standardized index and the "wellness coefficient," suggests that Network Care is associated with significant benefits. These benefits are evident from as early as 1-3 months under care, and appear to show continuing clinical improvements in the duration of care .with no indication of a maximum clinical benefit.156
- Comment (tk): Network chiropractic is a combination of chiropractic techniques tailored to the specific needs of the patient. It capitalizes on the best that many traditional chiropractic techniques has to offer. This study is unique in its size, scale and scientific rigor.
Ron Kirk M.A., D.C. Bio, Kathryn Hoiriis B.S., D.C. Bio, Steven Mirtschink D.C. Bio, Helen Luong Bio, JVSR April 15, 2005, pp 1-3
- Background: Characterized by high rates of morbidity, mortality and very poor quality of life, homeless individuals’ health has been the subject of an increasing number of studies. Despite the increasing interest in the health and quality of life in homeless populations, a Mantis literature search revealed no studies have been published assessing the impact of chiropractic care on the health and quality of life of homeless individuals. The purpose of this descriptive case series report is to assess whether chiropractic care provided by student interns at the outreach shelter clinic helped to improve the quality of life of patients from the women’s shelter.
- Conclusion: It appears that chiropractic care holds promise and merits further investigation as one means of enhancing the quality of life in the homeless population studied in this case series report.
Changes in general health status during upper cervical chiropractic care: PBR report. Owens, Edward F., Hoiriis, Kathryn T., Burd, Deana. Chiropractic Research Journal 1998 (Spring); V (1)
- This is a practice-based research (PBR) project. PBR doctors collected and pooled data on their patients in their private offices .
- From the abstract: Data have been [so far] collected on 153 patients. Among the factors tested for are:
- Physical functioning (PF) limitations in physical activities due to physical problems, bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (V), social functioning (SF) - limitations in social activities due to physical or emotional problems, mental health (MH)
- The preliminary results show that patients enter into upper cervical chiropractic care with a variety of mostly musculoskeletal complaints. At the outset of care, those patients have significantly lower health status, as measured by SF-36, than the general population. There is a general trend for patients to experience an upward trend in their perception of health as measured by both the SF-36 and the GWBS (global well-being score). Analysis of SF-36 scores showed improvement in all categories compared to the initial scores upon initial care.
- The average patient improvement was 12.1% within the first four weeks, and increased to 45.6% by maximum improvement. Overall, the chiropractic patients on whom they had complete data improved on all subscales and show scores exceeding the national norms on four of the eight scales (GH, V, SF, MH). In addition, analysis of x-ray listing factors suggests that upper cervical chiropractic adjustment improves misalignment of the occipito-atlanto-axial spine.
- Although these results are encouraging many of our original questions go unanswered because of a lack of follow-up data. In addition, the sample size is too small; additional upper cervical chiropractic offices are needed as collection sites. Better tracking of patient attrition is required to assess the length of chiropractic care needed to reach maximum improvement for specific conditions.
Mark J. Marino BIO and Phillippa M. Langrell BIO, JVSR Vol 3, No. 2, p 1-9
- This longitudinal study evaluated changes in self-rated health status of patients receiving chiropractic care at the training clinic of the New Zealand School of Chiropractic. The study was designed to assess subluxation-based chiropractic care in association with changes in patients’ perceived health status. The Self-Rated Health/Wellness Survey (SRHW) was used to evaluate the health status on two occasions, "initial" and "follow-up." The instrument assessed health across four domains, Physical State, Emotional/Mental State, Stress and Life Enjoyment. Collectively, these four domains, assessed initially and after a follow-up period, constituted Combined Wellness, or a fifth domain. Quality of Life was evaluated as a sixth domain of the questionnaire instrument. The study population included 89 subjects, evaluated over a five-month study period. The average interval between initial and follow-up surveys was 8.0 ± 3.2 weeks, with an average number of visits of 9.1 ± 4.2. A bivariate analysis was conducted using a two tailed, paired sample t-test to assess the subjects’ survey responses. Subjects reported significant positive perceived changes in Physical State (p = 0.000), Mental/Emotional State (p = 0.008), and Combined Wellness (p = 0.001), with corresponding effect sizes of 0.61, 0.24 and 0.31 respectively.The improvement in the Physical and Mental/Emotional State, and Combined Wellness suggests that chiropractic care provided through the NZ School of Chiropractic is associated with significant benefits in these domains. Study data suggested that health/wellness may accrue with time under care. Thus, further study with a larger sample size and longer duration of care is proposed to more thoroughly investigate possible health benefits in the areas studied, as well as to confirm present findings.
Italian Study: Chiropractic- Therapeutical effectiveness- Social importance. Incidence of Absence from work and Hospitalization. Professor F. Splendori. In 1987, a survey study of 17,142 patients (from 22 clinics) in Italy, conducted by medical physicians and chiropractors, concluded:
- The results of our survey presented herein, are clear and incontrovertible: our sample population of over seventeen thousand patients treated with chiropractic for at least two years showed that this treatment could lead to a 75-55% reduction in the number of daily absences from work and could cut down the number of hospitalized patients by 87.60% vis-à-vis other currently used forms of treatment (pharmacological, psysiokinesitherapic, surgical, etc.)
- "A most meaningful indicator of the effectiveness of chiropractic is the improvement it produces in the quality of life, not only because of its curative effect but also thanks to its preventative and rehabilitative functions".
Edward Brown, DC, DABCI Bio, JVSR September 30, 2005, pp 1-7
- Psychoneuroimmunology is the interdisciplinary field that explores the connections between the mind and emotions, the brain and central nervous system, and the immune system. Chiropractic is a non-surgical, drugless form of health care that seeks to optimize health and wellness via the relationship between structure, primarily the spine, and function, primarily the nervous system of the human body. In practice, most chiropractors also emphasize the role of diet, exercise, and lifestyle modification as an adjunct to the healing process. As such, chiropractic is well positioned to make a unique contribution to the field of psychoneuroimmunology.
- Chiropractic patients not only reported less pain than hospital patients at six weeks, but three years later chiropractic patients reported a 29% greater improvement with chiropractic compared to hospital treatment. The most dramatic improvements were associated with pain reduction, but many of the factors that contribute to the quality of life were affected by chiropractic care.
- Sitting for more than a short period of time and sleeping showed the most significant improvement, but scores such as personal care, lifting, walking, standing, sex life, social life, and ability to travel also improved.
Cadice Shepherd, B.S., D.C.Bio, Ron Kirk, B.S. Ed., M.A., D.C.Bio
JVSR August 16, 2004, pp 1-3
- Objective: To determine if participation in a spinal hygiene class would enhance the quality of life in students engaged in a health care curriculum.
- Methods: Utilizing the Rand SF-36 and Global Well-Being Scale, quality of life measurements were conducted pre and post participation on an experimental group of students taking a spinal hygiene class. Experimental group scores were compared to a nonrandomized, but matched control group of students.
- Results: Students in the spinal hygiene group improved significantly across a broad spectrum of quality of life parameters, both on the basis of pre and post class score comparison and comparison to the control group performance.
- Conclusion: The practice of spinal hygiene procedures shows great promise in the vital area of improvement of quality of life. In a society where obesity and sedentary living are pandemic and spinal health is deteriorating, it is hoped that as health care practitioners these students will share and model positive spinal and neurological health behaviors to their patients and communities.
Changes in salivary pH and General Health Status following the clinical application of bio-energetic synchronization. Morter T, Schuster T. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 1998 (Jan); 2 (1): 1-7
- From the abstract: The present preliminary study investigated the relationship between autonomic nervous system imbalance, fasting salivary pH, and general health status following the clinical application of Bio-energetic Synchronization (BEST)..Twenty-four patients attending a four day program were separated into two groups of 12 each. Following the administration of BEST pH values increased significantly in the (subject) S-Group, and decreased significantly in the (placebo) P-group. Moreover, the G-group ex-pressed lower total scores (lowered perceived health status) than the P-Group. Based on these preliminary findings it is suggested that measurement of fasting salivary pH may be a reliable non-invasive means of substantiating pre/post intervention changes in autonomic imbalance.both groups (report) self-reported overall improvement in general health status concomitant with pH changes following the application of BEST. The preliminary findings support clinical observations suggesting that this approach is associated with restoration of autonomic balance. The relevance of this process to the etiology and correction of vertebral subluxation is discussed.
A study regarding measures of gerneral health status in patients using the Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique: a follow-up study. Blanks R and Dobson M. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 1999; 3 (2): 1-8
- From the Abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate the health benefits of Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (BEST) in a large patient sample. Participants were attendees at one of ten consecutive, four day, in-residence health programs (Health Weeks) held between July, 1997 and July, 1998. The Health Week program consisted of a comprehensive four day program of intensive BEST care which has been linked to restoring autonomic nervous system balance, as well as reduction of subluxation. The technique also includes lifestyle and nutritional education. Patients were assessed with the Rand-36 health survey and the Global Well-Being Scale (GWBS) just prior to Health Week, and then eight weeks following the program. Following a structured clinical interview, assessment forms were administered by staff at the beginning or end of the four day event. The eight-week follow-up questionnaires were mailed to all study participants. Results indicate significant (p<0.006) improvement in six of the eight subscales of the Rand-36 health survey among the 205 participants completing both the pre and post Health Week assessment in the Rand-36 scores through the eight week follow-up. The GWBS was higher than the pre Health Week but lower than the post Health Week. These follow-up data demonstrate long term benefits derived during the Health Week program, and confirm a previous pilot study involving Health Week attendees. Further investigation relative to sociodemographic factors, which may influence the health and wellness outcomes associated with this form of care will be evaluated in future studies.
- Purpose of study: This case study is to report the improvement in quality of life experienced by a patient undergoing subluxation-centered chiropractic care.
- Clinical Features: A 36 year old male presented with primary health concerns of stress, eye pain and left leg pain of 14 years duration radiating to the foot and secondary complaints of gastritis, ulcers, nervousness, depression, lack of concentration and general loss of interest in daily life. The patient also smokes, does not exercise, eats a sub-optimal diet and rated his family and friends support, as well as job satisfaction as sufficient
- Conclusion: This case study demonstrates that the correction of vertebral subluxations over an 11 month period was associated with significant improvements in the quality of life of the patient.
Chronic pediatric asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: A prospective clinical series and randomized clinical pilot study. Bronfort G, Evans RL, Kubic P, Filkin P. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2002 (Oct); 25 (8): 540-541
- The analysis tracked 36 youngsters with chronic mild or moderate asthma. All subjects were aged 6 to 17 years. Over a 3-month period, patients received either chiropractic adjustments or "sham" adjustments. In addition, all study participants underwent medical treatment.
- No difference was seen between chiropractic patients and controls in lung function or hyper-responsiveness. However, youngsters receiving chiropractic care "rated their quality of life substantially higher and their asthma severity substantially lower. These improvements were maintained at the 1-year follow-up assessment."
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