239995 Social ecological model and chiropractic: Current examples and suggestions for community health efforts

Monday, October 31, 2011: 12:30 PM

Claire Johnson, MSEd, DC , Editor, Professor, National Univerisity of Health Sciences, Oceanside, CA
Bart Green, MSEd, DC , Branch Medical Clinic MCAS Miramar, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA
Background: The social ecological model (SEM) addresses public health issues using a systems approach. The SEM has five levels of influence, which include: intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational/environmental, community, and policy. Although chiropractic is the third largest health care profession in the United States, the focus has tended to be on the patient (interpersonal) level instead of social levels that are needed for public health interventions. However, chiropractic has been forging new ground into the field of public health and the SEM may provide a guide for how chiropractic can be effective with improving public health beyond the intra and interpersonal levels. Objective: To discuss how the SEM can serve as a foundation on which chiropractic may address public health issues and become more involved in promoting healthy communities. Methods: A literature search of PubMed was performed to search for examples of how chiropractic may be applied to each of the five levels of SEM. Results: Currently there are few studies on the higher levels of the SEM. There is a greater number of studies that focus on intra and interpersonal health than social ecological studies that involve higher levels of order such as community and policy. Conclusion: Viewing chiropractic through the lens of SEM shows that there may be a great opportunity for research on a social ecological level. Exemplars of published studies may aid in establishing future directions for a systems approach to public health promotion at a community level.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the historical characteristics of chiropractic from the social ecological model (SEM) viewpoint 2. Recognize the five levels of the SEM as they relate to public health and community health efforts. 3. Provide examples for how the chiropractic profession has contributed using the SEM and a model. 4. Recommend future development for how the chiropractic profession can become more involved with public health using the SEM.

Keywords: Chiropractic, Community-Based Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have met all 3 of the criteria for authorship: 1) substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, and analysis and interpretation of data; 2) drafting the article and revising it critically for important intellectual content; and 3) final approval of the version to be submitted. I have a degree in health professions education and have participated in clinical/educational programs that are healthcare related.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.