Davis Matthew A, Davis Andrew M, Luan Jackie, Weeks William B
The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA.
Altern Ther Health Med. 2009 May-Jun;15(3):36-40.
The chiropractic profession is the largest, most established complementary and alternative medical (CAM) profession in the United States. The use of unconventional healthcare in the United States has increased in recent years, yet little is known about the market for specific CAM professions such as chiropractic.
To evaluate the market for US chiropractors between 1996 and 2005.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a descriptive study of the chiropractic profession from 1996 to 2005 using data from the Medical Expenditure Survey, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The amount and proportion of outpatient healthcare expenditures on chiropractic care in the United States, total chiropractors, number of chiropractors per adult population (>18 years), graduates from chiropractic schools, and professional income of chiropractors.
From 1996 to 2005 the proportion of outpatient US healthcare expenditures spent on chiropractic care increased from 2.15% to 3.26%. The total number of US chiropractors increased from 43 663 to 52 687 in 2004, but growth slowed between 2002 and 2004, resulting in a decrease in the number of chiropractors per 10000 US adults. Between academic years 1996 and 2001, chiropractic schools graduated about 3700 students each year; however, between 2001 and 2003, the annual number of chiropractic graduates decreased by 28%. Between 1998 and 2005, the inflation-adjusted median self-reported annual income of employed chiropractors fell from $76598 to $67200.
From 1996 to 2005, relative expenditures on chiropractic care increased; however, the number of chiropractic graduates, the rate of growth of chiropractors, and the incomes of chiropractors have declined. Future research is needed to investigate why national expenditures on chiropractic care have increased despite an apparent decrease in the supply of US chiropractors.
脊椎按摩疗法是美国规模最大、最成熟的补充和替代医学（CAM）专业。近年来，美国非传统医疗保健的使用有所增加，但对于脊椎按摩疗法等特定补充和替代医学专业的市场情况却知之甚少。
评估1996年至2005年美国脊椎按摩师的市场情况。
设计、地点和参与者：我们利用医疗支出调查、国家教育统计中心和美国劳工统计局的数据，对1996年至2005年的脊椎按摩疗法专业进行了描述性研究。
美国门诊医疗保健支出中用于脊椎按摩治疗的金额和比例、脊椎按摩师总数、每成年人口（>18岁）的脊椎按摩师数量、脊椎按摩学校的毕业生人数以及脊椎按摩师的专业收入。
1996年至2005年，美国门诊医疗保健支出中用于脊椎按摩治疗的比例从2.15%增至3.26%。美国脊椎按摩师总数在2004年从43663人增至52687人，但在2002年至2004年期间增长放缓，导致每10000名美国成年人中的脊椎按摩师数量减少。在1996学年至2001学年期间，脊椎按摩学校每年毕业约3700名学生；然而，在2001年至2003年期间，脊椎按摩专业毕业生的年度数量减少了28%。1998年至2005年期间，经通胀调整后，受雇脊椎按摩师自我报告的年度收入中位数从76598美元降至67200美元。
1996年至2005年，脊椎按摩治疗的相对支出有所增加；然而，脊椎按摩专业毕业生人数、脊椎按摩师的增长率以及脊椎按摩师的收入均有所下降。未来需要开展研究，以调查为何尽管美国脊椎按摩师的供应明显减少，但用于脊椎按摩治疗的国家支出却有所增加。
