Elderly Health (Geriatrics)
Maintenance care: health promotion services
to US chiropractic patients aged 65 and over, Part 11. Rupert,
RL, Manello D, Sandefur R: Journal of Manipulative and Physiological
Therapeutics 2003;23(1):10.
This is a study of 73 chiropractic
patients who were interviewed and asked, “How important
do you feel chiropractic treatment has been in maintaining
and promoting your health?”
95.8% said that their chiropractic care was either “considerably” or “extremely” valuable.
Also, the longer people were in care, the less nonprescription
drugs they used. The authors stated: “Chiropractors
may administer more prevention and health-promotion services
than any other health profession.” Other findings from
the study:
The findings…significantly correlate reduced nervousness
with years of maintenance care (MC), as well as possible
reduced symptoms of depression…..
“Patients receiving MC had twice as many contacts
with a physician during the year than patients who received
no chiropractic care at all. These doctor-patient contacts
are primarily for chiropractic MC and result in a 50% reduction
in medical provider visits. Therefore for those patients
receiving MC, chiropractic management appeared to replace
medical management rather than be complementary to medical
treatment….
The need for hospitalization and the high
costs associated with that service were markedly reduced for
the patient receiving MC. The total annual cost of health care
services for the patient receiving MC was conservatively estimated
at only a third of the expenses made by US citizens of the
same age. Patients also perceived MC services as highly beneficial
to prevention and health promotion.
Chiropractic
techniques in the care of the geriatric patient. Killinger,
LZ, Cooperstein R
The philosophy, art and science of chiropractic.
Lisbon 2000 Symposium proceedings. Pp. 64-68. Pub by the Foundation
for the advancement of chiropractic tenets and science, ICA,
Arlington, Virginia.
From the abstract:
The elderly patient is most deserving of,
and very much in need of, alternatives to the traditional pharmaceutical
and surgical options offered through allopathic providers.
Chiropractic…is particularly well positioned to take
on an important role in providing healthcare to older patients.
Chiropractic
care for patients aged 55 years and older: report from a
practice-based research program. Hawk C, Long CR, Boulanger
KT, et al Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2000:48,
pp. 534-45.
Patients completed a questionnaire over a 12 week
time which included information on their chief complaints and
health status. The Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form
Health Survey (SF-12) and the Pain Disability Index (PEDI)
were also completed. Data on over 805 patients 55 years or
older were collected over a 12-week period. The study revealed
that for two-thirds of the patients, a chiropractor was the
only provider for mild to moderate musculoskeletal complaints.
72.3%
of the patients had pain related complaints (32.9% of these
were for low back pain). Patients decreased use of regular
prescription or non-prescription drugs by 7.3% during the 12-week
period.
Chiropractic patients in a comprehensive home-based
geriatric assessment, follow-up and home promotion program.
Coulter ID et al. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996: 3(2):
46-55.
Out of a total population of 414 elderly people 75 years
and older, a subpopulation of 23 (5.65%) reported receiving
chiropractic care. This figure is similar to published reports
of distribution of chiropractic patients in the general population.
It
was found that chiropractic users were less likely to have
used a nursing home, more likely to report a better health
status, more likely to exercise vigorously, and more likely
to be mobile in the community. In addition, they were less
likely to use prescription drugs.
Study associates chiropractic
with better health in the elderly. Today’s Chiropractic
November/December 1996 (originally published by the Foundation
for Chiropractic Education and Research).
The results of a three
year randomized trial of people 75 years of age and over revealed
better overall health and a higher quality of life among those
who use chiropractic care. Elderly chiropractic patients report
better overall health, have fewer chronic conditions, spend
fewer days in nursing homes and hospitals, are more mobile
in their communities and are less likely to use prescription
drugs than non-chiropractic patients according to a study conducted
by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research through
the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic.
87% of chiropractic
patients described their health as excellent compared to just
67.8% of non- chiropractic patients.
Copyright 2004 Koren Publications,
Inc. & Tedd Koren,
D.C.