More Canadians Using Chiropractors

From the March 16, 2005 CBC Health & Science News, comes a report on a study that shows that more Canadians are using Chiropractic than ever before.  The study by the agency "Statistics Canada" (StatsCan) also showed an increase in the usage of other non-medical forms of healthcare the study called alternative.

StatsCan conducted  a health survey in 2003 and found that about 20 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and older – an estimated 5.4 million people – had used some type of what they called, alternative health care in the year 2002. This is in comparison to a similar study almost a decade ago that showed that only 15% of Canadians over age 17 had used some form of alternative care. 

Chiropractic was clearly the highest usage of the non-medical forms of care in the study.  The 2003 study showed that 11 per cent of those 12 years and older had gone to a Chiropractor in the previous year.  Of the other forms of non-medical care the study showed that eight per cent had consulted a massage therapist, two per cent an acupuncturist and two per cent a homeopath or a naturopath.

According to the study those most likely to consult a non-medical practitioner were people in middle age, women, people with higher incomes, those with higher education and people living in the western provinces.