No one disputes the fact that chiropractic patients are generally very satisfied with their care, and that patients satisfaction rates for chiropractic care and other forms of care with which thay had been compared. These conclusions are supported by extensive research. And as Gary Gaumer PhD says in a new independent national survay in the USA, which again reports a high satisfaction rate, ‘this is remarkable given the fact that much of the financial burden of the care is borne by patients, and that the preponderance of care is for the difficult chronic problems of the back and the neck”.

The percentage of chiropractic patients who were “very satisfied” with the care they received for low-back pain was 3 times that of patiens of MDs (66% versus 22%).

Common reasons for higher satisfaction with care included:

• More information received about the back problems, including the cause of the backpain, recovery from pain, content of care and instructions on exercise, posture and lifting.
• The amount of time the DC spent listening to the patient’s description of pain.
• The DC”s belief that the pain was real and expression of concern.
• Doctor confidence in the diagnosis and effectiveness of treatment.

These findings were consistent with an earlier Australian survey by Boven of a representative sample of 627 patients with general musculoskeletal complaints, as opposed to back-pain only, who had seen two or more of an MD, DC and physiotherapist (PT) for their complaints. Satisfaction with DC’s was markedly higher – 51% were very satisfied with DC’s, as opposed to 16% for PTs and 8% for MDs. At the other end of the scale 12% were not at all satisfied with DC’s compared with 40% for PTs and 44% for MDs.

Recent Satisfaction Studies:

1. Authors Cherkin and MacCornack in the year 1986.
   Number of patients: 257.
   Type of patients: low back pain.
   Location of study: Seattle area.
   Follow-up: 8 months.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients more satisfied.
2. Authors Sawyer and Kassak in the year 1988 – 1989
   Number op patients: 376.
   Type of patients: all DC patients.
   Location of study: Minnesota and Wisconsin.
   Follow-up: not available.
   Major findings about satisfaction: High DC satisfaction.
3. Author Carey at al in the year 1995
   Number of patients: 1633.
   Type of patient: First episode of low back pain.
   Location of study: North Carolina.
   Follow-up: Not available.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients more satisfied.
4. Authors Licciardone and Herron in the year 1989
   Number of patients: 27.
   Type of patient: all adults.
   Location of study: National.
   Follow-up: not available.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients less satisfied.
5. Authors Hertzman-Miller et al in the year 1995-1998.
   Number of patients: 341.
   Type of patient: low back pain.
   Loaction of study: South Carolina
   Follow-up: 4 weeks.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients more satisfied.
6. Author Verhoef et al in the year 1995.
   Number of patients: 369.
   Type of patient: neck or backpain.
   Location of study: Alberta.
   Follow-up: 6 weeks.
   Major findings about satisfaction: High DC satisfaction.
7. Author Meade et al in the year 1989.
   Number of patients: 608.
   Type of patient: low back pain.
   Location of study: United Kingdom.
   Follow-up: 6 weeks.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients more satisfied.
8. Author Nyiendo et al  the year 1993.
   Number of patients: 93.
   Type of patient: low back pain.
   Location of study: Portland, Oregon.
   Follow-up: 1 month.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients more satisfied.
9. Author Nyiendo et all in the year 1994.
   Number of patients: 2945.
   Type of patient: low back pain.
   Location of study: Oregon and Washington.
   Follow-up: 1 year.
   Major findings about satisfaction: DC patients more satisfied.
10. Author Cherkin et al in the year 1998.
    Number of patients: 321.
    Type of patient: low back pain.
    Location of study: Seattle area.
    Follow-up: 4 weeks.
    Major findings about satisfaction: PT = DC satisfaction both N pamphlet.
11. Authors Gemmell and Hayes in the year 2000.
    Number of patients: 66.
    Type of patient: patients filling claims.
    Location of study: Oklahoma.
    Follow-up: 2 to 5 months.
    Major findings about satisfaction: very high DC satisfaction levels

References:
Gaumer G (2006) Factors Associated with Patient Satisfaction with Chiropractic Care: Survey and Review of the Literature, Journal of Manipulative Physiol Ther 29: 455-462.
Cherkin DC, MacCornack FA (1989) Patient Evaluations of Low Back Pain Care from Family Physicians and Chiropractors, West Journal of Medicine 150: 351-355.