Cost-Effectiveness of Medical and Chiropractic Care for Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain
Received 24 May 2005; received in revised form 7 July 2005
Objectives
To identify relative provider costs, clinical outcomes, and patient satisfaction for the treatment of low back pain (LBP).
Methods
This was a practice-based, nonrandomized, comparative study of patients self-referring to 60 doctors of chiropractic and 111 medical doctors in 51 chiropractic and 14 general practice community clinics over a 2-year period. Patients were included if they were at least 18 years old, ambulatory, and had low back pain of mechanical origin (n = 2780). Outcomes were (standardized) office costs, office costs plus referral costs for office-based care and advanced imaging, pain, functional disability, patient satisfaction, physical health, and mental health evaluated at 3 and 12 months after the start of care. Multiple regression analysis was used to correct for baseline differences between provider types.
Results
Chiropractic office costs were higher for both acute and chronic patients (P < .01). When referrals were included, there were no significant differences in either group between provider types (P > .20). Acute and chronic chiropractic patients experienced better outcomes in pain, functional disability, and patient satisfaction (P < .01); clinically important differences in pain and disability improvement were found for chronic patients only.
Conclusions
Chiropractic care appeared relatively cost-effective for the treatment of chronic LBP. Chiropractic and medical care performed comparably for acute patients. Practice-based clinical outcomes were consistent with systematic reviews of spinal manipulation efficacy: manipulation-based therapy is at least as good as and, in some cases, better than other therapeusis. This evidence can guide physicians, payers, and policy makers in evaluating chiropractic as a treatment option for low back pain.
aProfessor and Dean of Research, Center for Outcomes Studies, Western States Chiropractic College, Portland, Ore
bAssistant Professor, Department of Economics, Portland State University, Portland, Ore
cProfessor, Department of Economics, School of Business Administration, Oakland University, Rochester, Mich
Submit requests for reprints to: Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, Center for Outcomes Studies, Western States Chiropractic College, 2900 NE 132nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97230.
Sources of support: This study was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockland, Md (grant no. R18 AH10002) and by a competitive challenge grant from the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, Norwalk, Iowa (grant no. 940502) with funds donated to the foundation by the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa.
ABSTRACT