February 2007

New study: 22% says they use massage or chiropractic

A new study that mirrors results of a 2002 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control shows that 22 percent of Americans use massage or chiropractic as a preferred form of alternative therapy. The survey did not break out use of chiropractic specifically.

The study, conducted by Thomson Medstat, surveyed 23,000 households. It found that alternative medicine is not a passing fad but is used regularly to treat everything from lower back pain to diabetes.

Among the findings:

• More than 37 percent of households use some form of alternative medicine;
• Alternative medicine use is most prevalent among those with incomes of more than $100,000 per year and those with post-graduate college degrees;
• About 42 percent of respondents said insurance covers at least part of their treatments;
• Nearly two-thirds discuss alternative treatments with their MDs;
• The most common reason for using alternative treatment is to promote general wellness;
• Herbals supplements and massage and chiropractic care are the most common types of alternative medicine.

Alternative medicine is most commonly used by those of mixed race (47.4 percent), followed by white (39.0 percent), Native American and Asian or Pacific Islander (37.3 percent), Hispanic (33.2 percent), and Black (26.6 percent).

People in the 35- to 64-year-old age group led the pack of users, with 40.3 percent opting for alternative medicine in the past year. These individuals most often sought care for general wellness (40.8 percent), although 32.5 percent used alternative medicine to treat an illness and 10.2 percent to supplement traditional care.

The top three conditions treated by alternative medicine were irritable bowel (46.6 percent), lower back (45.9 percent), and skin problems (44.7 percent).

Almost 50 percent of users have an income of more than $100,000 and have post-graduate education.

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