The first national survey about chiropractic medicine shows a mixed report for the profession. Palmer College in Davenport, where the practice was founded in 1895, hired the Gallup organization to design and conduct the survey of more than 54-hundred people. Palmer Chancellor Dr. Dennis Marchiori says earlier surveys showed about eight-percent of Americans used chiropractors, while the new survey found 14-percent had seen a chiropractor in the past year.

“Chiropractors are seen in a positive light especially for spine-related complaints and the things that we focus on,” Dr. Marchiori says. “Americans, even if they’re not seeing a chiropractor, are very open to visiting a chiropractor in the future.” On the down side, respondents didn’t recognize the length and breadth of chiropractic training and some worry about the safety of seeing a chiropractor. Marchiori says it’s very safe.

“Lots of studies have been out to demonstrate that including business practices such as very low malpractice insurance rates,” he says. “It’s a rare complication that causes a problem for a chiropractic patient.” Marchiori says the next steps include studying these “barriers” to chiropractic and figuring out how to remove them. Palmer College plans more surveys in the coming years, based on what was learned in this one.

(Radio Iowa)