Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106772

Paul Dougherty, DC, Monroe Community Hospital, New York Chiropractic College, Monroe Community Hospital, 435 East Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14620, 585-760-6270, pdougherty@nycc.edu, Lisa Zaynab Killinger, DC, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, 741 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803, and Jurgis Karuza, PhD, Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center, University of Rochester, Monroe Community Hospital, 435 East Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14620.

Introduction: Integration of different specialties may produce a health care system better equipped to deliver accessible, comprehensive and coordinated care. The utilization of chiropractic services in the elderly is on the rise creating the need for chiropractic training focused on care of older adults. In this project we assessed chiropractors' opinions related to geriatrics training. Methods: An electronic survey of practicing New York chiropractors was performed utilizing the database of the largest chiropractic association in NY. This survey assessed chiropractors' care of aging patients, perceptions of existing geriatric training in chiropractic colleges, the need for advanced geriatrics training, and their preferences regarding training in an integrative or unidisciplinary setting. Results: The survey found that most chiropractic geriatric patients are concurrently managed by medical physicians, yet most of respondents felt less than comfortable communicating with the medical physician. Most of the surveyed chiropractors did not feel adequately trained to deal with the complex healthcare needs of older adults and only a few had any training in an integrated setting. The vast majority of chiropractors felt that integrative geriatrics training would be in the best interest of their older patients. The majority of chiropractors were in favor of chiropractic geriatrics residencies. Conclusion: The majority of chiropractors surveyed perceived the need for further training, particularly in an integrative setting, and specific interdisciplinary geriatrics residencies. The opportunities for such integrative training through Geriatric Education Centers and collaboration between medical and chiropractic colleges will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of educating chiropractors in the special needs of treating older adults.
• Recognize the importance of educating chiropractors in a multidisciplinary setting
• Participants will see the need to create training programs for chiropractors in multidisciplinary settings

Keywords: Chiropractic, Health Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation