Chiropractic care for patients aged 55 years and older: report from a practice-based research program

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Chiropractic Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Chiropractic care is utilized by a significant number of older adults.
• Understanding the characteristics of these patients and the care they receive is essential for optimizing health outcomes.
• Older adults often present with complex health needs, including chronic pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the demographic characteristics of patients aged 55 years and older receiving chiropractic care.
• To identify the common complaints and health habits of this patient population.
• To characterize the features of chiropractic treatment provided to older adults.

Main Methods:

• An observational, practice-based research study was conducted in chiropractic offices across the United States and Canada.
• Data were collected from 805 eligible patients aged 55 years and older over a 12-week period.
• Standardized instruments, including the SF-12 for general health and the Pain Disability Index (PDI) for chronic pain, were administered.

Main Results:

• The study population was predominantly female (60.1%) and white (94.7%), with high rates of overweight (38.6%) and obesity (20.6%).
• Pain-related complaints, particularly back pain, were most common (72.3%).
• Chiropractic care included manipulation, exercise recommendations, and heat/cold applications; patients with higher baseline PDI scores showed more improvement, and those discharged by the doctor showed a decrease in pain medication use.

Conclusions:

• The Pain Disability Index (PDI) and reduction in pain medication use show promise as outcome measures for chiropractic care in older adults.
• Descriptive data from this study can help providers better understand and manage older adults seeking chiropractic care.
• Further research is warranted to explore these outcome measures more deeply.