Editorial
Public Health, Wellness, Prevention, and Health Promotion: Considering the Role of Chiropractic and Determinants of Health

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2009.07.001Get rights and content

Abstract

Health and illness are affected by many factors, which may be explained using a model of determinants of health. This article provides a brief overview and discussion of determinants of health and suggests how this model may assist the chiropractic profession with communicating and applying best practices in public health.

Section snippets

Socioeconomic Status and Poverty

Lower socioeconomic status can negatively influence behavioral and psychosocial risk factors for health and disease, such as creating barriers to health care and means for treatment and prevention measures.11 Poverty has a devastating impact on health,15 has been associated with numerous poor health conditions, and impacts health in numerous ways, such as introducing financial barriers, posing health care system challenges, creating impediments to the attainment of education, and affecting the

Conclusion

As health care providers, we must understand how the determinants of health interact with each other so that we may best serve the needs of our patients and communities. Many determinants of health overlap or have a direct influence on one another. Poverty can directly relate to working conditions, physical environment, education, and maternal health. Healthy choices and lifestyles may be influenced by education, physical environment, and social/family networks. We cannot address one health

References (64)

  • ButlerRJ et al.

    Satisfaction with low back pain care

    Spine J

    (2008)
  • GaumerG

    Factors associated with patient satisfaction with chiropractic care: survey and review of the literature

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2006)
  • RowellRM et al.

    A pilot mixed methods study of patient satisfaction with chiropractic care for back pain

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2008)
  • LisiAJ

    Chiropractic spinal manipulation for low back pain of pregnancy: a retrospective case series

    J Midwifery Womens Health

    (2006)
  • StevensGL

    Demographic and referral analysis of a free chiropractic clinic servicing ethnic minorities in the Buffalo, NY area

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2007)
  • ShearerHM et al.

    Ontario chiropractors' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about intimate partner violence among their patients: a cross-sectional survey

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2008)
  • HaasM et al.

    Chronic disease self-management program for low back pain in the elderly

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2005)
  • LeachRA et al.

    Nutrition and youth soccer for childhood overweight: a pilot novel chiropractic health education intervention

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2008)
  • CoxJM et al.

    A community program to fight child abuse: the Fort Wayne Children's Foundation and Kids' Law

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2007)
  • AdamsJ et al.

    Qualitative methods in chiropractic research: one framework for future inquiry

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2008)
  • CassidyJD et al.

    Is it time for a population health approach to neck pain

    J Manipulative Physiol Ther

    (2008)
  • Commission on Social Determinants of Health

    Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Final Report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health

    (2008)
  • WarneckeRB et al.

    Approaching health disparities from a population perspective: the National Institutes of Health Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities

    Am J Public Health

    (2008)
  • BakerEA et al.

    Addressing social determinants of health inequities: learning from doing

    Am J Public Health

    (2005)
  • SackettD et al.

    Evidence-based medicine: how to practice and teach EBM

    (2000)
  • EganJT et al.

    Chiropractic within the American Public Health Association, 1984-2005: pariah, to participant, to parity

    Chiropr Hist

    (2006)
  • SchneidermanN et al.

    Integrating behavioral and social sciences with public health

    (2006)
  • PalmerD

    The chiropractor's adjuster: a textbook of the science, art and philosophy of chiropractic for students and practitioners

    (1910)
  • TurnockBJ

    Public health: What it is and how it works

    (2004)
  • World Health Organization
  • WagstaffA et al.

    Child health: reaching the poor

    Am J Public Health

    (2004)
  • HarveyPW

    Social determinants of health—why we continue to ignore them in the search for improved population health outcomes

    Aust Health Rev

    (2006)
  • Cited by (33)

    • Defining chiropractic professional identity: A concept analysis

      2023, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
    • Chiropractic Day: A Historical Review of a Day Worth Celebrating

      2020, Journal of Chiropractic Humanities
      Citation Excerpt :

      In 2017, there were approximately 103,000 chiropractors practicing throughout the world, a majority (74.4%) were located in the US. 24,39 Chiropractors are active in various aspects of health care and have been integrated in a variety of health care settings.24,40-42 And, chiropractors have been part of interdisciplinary teams that have contributed to global efforts to improve spine care.43-50

    • Best Practices for Chiropractic Care for Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Consensus Update

      2017, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
      Citation Excerpt :

      To provide older adults with the best possible care, the body of evidence for both safety and effectiveness of chiropractic care should be evaluated. This is true for musculoskeletal conditions and the other roles that the DC may play in assessing and managing disease prevention.11-13 At this time, the scientific evidence has important gaps for chiropractic management of the aging population.

    • Spine Care as a Framework for the Chiropractic Identity

      2016, Journal of Chiropractic Humanities
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text