Attributes of Non-Hispanic Blacks That Use Chiropractic Health Care: A Survey of Patients in Texas and Louisiana

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to describe non-Hispanic blacks that use chiropractic health care to better understand this underserved demographic.MethodsE-mail and telephone calls were used to recruit doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in Texas and Louisiana to distribute anonymous surveys to their non-Hispanic black patients. Twenty doctors volunteered to participate. Each was sent 10 surveys and self-addressed envelopes to distribute. All doctors were given at least 3 months to distribute surveys to as many non-Hispanic black patients that they had. The survey contained 20 questions designed to develop a profile of non-Hispanic black patients that used chiropractic care. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and other patient attributes.ResultsTwo-hundred surveys were distributed and 44 were completed, yielding a response rate of 22%. Non-Hispanic black patients were more likely to be female (54.5%), be older than 50 years (56.8%), be a college graduate (59.1%), be employed (61.9%), report not receiving public assistance in the past 5 years (81.4%), report a household income of $20 000 to $60 000 a year (48.8%), and born in the United States (83.7%). Participants reported that there was a DC within 30 minutes of their address (81.4%), their DC always explained things to them in an easy-to-understand manner (81.8%), their DC always showed respect for what they had to say (88.6%), and their DC always cared about them as a person (86.4%).ConclusionsIn the sample surveyed, non-Hispanic black patients tended to be female, be older, be college educated, be employed, and have a positive viewpoint on their interactions with their DC.