Abstract
BackgroundPractice-based data collection can offer insight into the nature of chiropractic practice and contribute to resolving the conundrum of the chiropractic profession’s role in contemporary healthcare, subsequently informing care service policy. However, there is little formal data available about chiropractic practice to inform decision-makers about the nature and role of chiropractic within the context of a modern multidisciplinary healthcare context in Australia, particularly at a local and regional level.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods data transformation model (qualitative to quantitative) pilot study the purpose of which was to provide a critique of the research design and collect data from a selected sample of chiropractic practices in Western Australia, with a view to offer recommendations related to the design, feasibility and implementation of a future confirmatory study.ResultsA narrative critique of the research methods of this pilot study is offered in this paper covering: (a) practice and patient recruitment, (b) enrollment of patients, (c) data collection methods, (d) acceptability of the study methods, (e) sample size calculations, and (f) design critique.ConclusionsThe result of this critique provides a sensible sample size estimate and recommendations as to the design and implementation of a future confirmatory study. Furthermore, we believe that a confirmatory study is not only feasible, but indeed necessary, with a view to offer meaningful insight into chiropractic practice in Western Australia.Trial registrationACTRN12616000434493 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR).Registered 5 April 2016. First participant enrolled 01 July 2014, retrospectively registered.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12998-016-0117-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Practice-based data collection can offer insight into the nature of chiropractic practice and contribute to resolving the conundrum of the chiropractic profession’s role in contemporary healthcare, subsequently informing care service policy
The chiropractic profession is well established in many countries [1, 2] yet, even in countries where the profession is formally recognised and regulated, there is often little formal data available about the characteristics of chiropractic practice, practitioners or patients, especially at a local or regional level
Several Australian studies have reported on samples collected in the state of Victoria, with the exceptions being Ebrall [5], Xue [13] and Brown [17] who reported on national samples
Summary
Practice-based data collection can offer insight into the nature of chiropractic practice and contribute to resolving the conundrum of the chiropractic profession’s role in contemporary healthcare, subsequently informing care service policy. There is little formal data available about chiropractic practice to inform decision-makers about the nature and role of chiropractic within the context of a modern multidisciplinary healthcare context in Australia, at a local and regional level. The chiropractic profession is well established in many countries [1, 2] yet, even in countries where the profession is formally recognised and regulated, there is often little formal data available about the characteristics of chiropractic practice, practitioners or patients, especially at a local or regional level. Existing data on chiropractic practice or patients are primarily from Europe, the USA and Canada, with few studies of satisfactory quality providing insight into chiropractic practice in Australia. Several Australian studies have reported on samples collected in the state of Victoria, with the exceptions being Ebrall [5], Xue [13] and Brown [17] who reported on national samples
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