Americans’ Perceptions of Chiropractic

According to a new Gallup report commissioned by Palmer College of Chiropractic, 33.6 million U.S. adults (14 percent) seek chiropractic care each year.

The report, officially named, the “Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Inaugural Report: Americans’ Perceptions of Chiropractic,” also indicates that more than half of U.S. adults view doctors of chiropractic positively and agree they’re effective at treating neck and back pain.

Key highlights:

• Two-thirds (61 percent) of adult Americans believe chiropractors are effective at treating neck and back pain.
• The majority (57 percent) of adults are likely to see a chiropractor for neck or back pain.
• More than 1/2 of all U.S. adults have visited a chiropractor, and more than 1/4 of them would choose chiropractic care first for back or neck pain.
• Nearly 1/2 of all U.S. adults don’t know if their insurance covers chiropractic

This first-ever nationally representative annual survey measured perceptions of, and experiences with, chiropractic among U.S. adults. The survey will be repeated for at least two more years as part of Palmer College’s on-going effort to study and advance the profession’s identity and public understanding of chiropractic care.