A dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, 2007. / To establish the profile of the typical patient presenting to private chiropractors in South Africa, in terms of: demographic data; characteristics of the presenting complaint; the knowledge levels of patients on the scope of chiropractic; the diagnosis of the patients; to compare this primary data to existing data from similar international studies. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / Background: The Durban University of Technology (DUT) chiropractic teaching clinic (CTC) represents a training facility for future chiropractors as well as providing a healthcare service to the local population. It is important to measure the demographic characteristics and presenting complaints of patients attending the DUT CTC as this information prepares the student interns for private practice. It also provides an insight into the popularity of chiropractic in the community. Objectives: This study sought to measure certain demographic variables and presenting conditions of patients attending DUT CTC and to assess whether these have changed over time. Method: A retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study was performed by drawing patient files of new patients presenting to the DUT CTC for the months of February through April, during 2000, 2006 and 2011 (data from a 1994 study was included for analysis). The files had the following information regarding the patient collected: age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, medical aid, main presenting complaint, as well the duration of the most recent complaint. The data was analysed for trends using statistical software (SPSS v19). Results: Data from 1 311 patient files were analyzed. The number of patients attending the DUT CTC had reduced significantly since 2000. The mean age ranged from 37.0 – 39.7yrs across the samples with a trend of increasing age occurring between 1994 and 2006. Ages ranged from 2 weeks – 89yrs, with 20 – 29yrs being the most common group. Females formed 50.5 – 51.2% of the samples with no significant change over time. White (46.3 – 64.2%) and Indian patients (27.2 – 40.9%) formed the majority, with Black patients showing a trend of increasing representation (from 6.4% in 2000 to 15.8% in 2011). The most common occupations were student (19.7 – 26.8%) and clerical (17 – 23%), with a trend noted between 1994 and 2006 of a decreasing student proportion. This trend reversed from 2006 – 2011. Medical aid subscription among patients reduced significantly (p<0.05) from 56.2% in 1994 to 41.6% in 2011. The main presenting complaints were spinal (68.2 – 84.1%), with low back (30.7 – 40.7%) and neck/head (27.8 – 33.8%) being the most common. Most main complaints were of a chronic nature (45.8 – 61.7%), though a trend of reducing chronicity was noted between 1994 and 2006. A trend of increasing sub-acute complaints was seen between 1994 and 2011. Conclusions: The patients attending DUT CTC are similar to most international CTC’s in terms of patients’ age, gender, occupation, and main presenting complaint. Compared to existing data on South African private practice, the patients at DUT CTC are generally younger, less likely to be female, less likely to be White, more likely to be Indian or Black, less likely to have medical aid, more likely to present with low back pain as appose to neck/head pain, and more likely to present in the acute/sub-acute phase. Between 1994 and 2006, the trend shows that patients at DUT CTC were older, less likely to be White, less likely to be students, less likely to have medical aid, and less likely to present in the chronic phase.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 84, 10 leaves / To establish the profile of the typical patient presenting to private chiropractors in South Africa, in terms of: demographic data; characteristics of the presenting complaint; the knowledge levels of patients on the scope of chiropractic; the diagnosis of the patients; to compare this primary data to existing data from similar international studies.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Objective: The majority of information available on chiropractic patients originates from private practices in developed countries. However, recently reports describing chiropractic patients in South Africa have emerged, reporting on private practices and teaching clinics. Therefore, the overall purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients presenting to a public chiropractic facility at the Kimberley Hospital Complex (KHC) in South Africa; and compare to the local and international private practices and teaching clinics. Methods: The period prevalence was three months in which information was extrapolated from patient files of the patients that presented to the KHC Chiropractic Clinic (KHCCC). Information that was collected included demographic data, common presenting complaints, patient history and common management protocols. Results: Data for 157 patients were recorded. The mean age of patients was 47.5 years, majority of the patients were female (70%), comprised of coloured and black patients (85%), where the greater part had a primary education level. Less than half the patients were employed in manual type of occupation, whilst almost one quarter of the patients were pensioners. By far, the greatest reason that patients visited chiropractors within the public health care sector at the KHCCC in South Africa was for chronic musculoskeletal complaints (68%). Majority presented with spinal complaints of the lower back (n=144), the most common diagnosis made was sacroiliac syndrome (48%). X-rays were the most common special investigation requested by KHCCC. The most common co-morbidities reported were hypertension, followed by diabetes and allergies. More than half the sample had undergone previous surgery. Thirty seven percent of patients received treatment for fewer than six visits. Contraindications to chiropractic treatment were indicated in only three patients. The treatment protocols that were predominantly used at the KHCCC were joint manipulation, followed by dry needling, kinesiotape and soft tissue therapy. Two thirds of all patients that were referred to the KHCCC were referred from within the medical profession. With regards to the chiropractic patients globally, similarities respect to patients in the public sector in South Africa to all sectors both locally and internationally, include factors such as majority female patients, top five anatomical locations of complaint, common usage of x-rays as a special investigation, similarities with co-morbidities including cardiovascular and endocrine, the repeated number of visits for the same complaint and manipulation remained treatment of choice. Conclusion: Although this was purely a demographic and descriptive study in nature, it gave a better understanding of patients that presented to a public hospital in a developing country like South Africa. With this demographic and descriptive information obtained in this study, it confirmed that although there is a unique population utilising chiropractic services within the public sector of South Africa, meaningful similarities have been found between patients in the different sectors in South Africa and internationally.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Objective: The majority of information available on chiropractic patients originates from private practices in developed countries. However, recently reports describing chiropractic patients in South Africa have emerged, reporting on private practices and teaching clinics. Therefore, the overall purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients presenting to a public chiropractic facility at the Kimberley Hospital Complex (KHC) in South Africa; and compare to the local and international private practices and teaching clinics. Methods: The period prevalence was three months in which information was extrapolated from patient files of the patients that presented to the KHC Chiropractic Clinic (KHCCC). Information that was collected included demographic data, common presenting complaints, patient history and common management protocols. Results: Data for 157 patients were recorded. The mean age of patients was 47.5 years, majority of the patients were female (70%), comprised of coloured and black patients (85%), where the greater part had a primary education level. Less than half the patients were employed in manual type of occupation, whilst almost one quarter of the patients were pensioners. By far, the greatest reason that patients visited chiropractors within the public health care sector at the KHCCC in South Africa was for chronic musculoskeletal complaints (68%). Majority presented with spinal complaints of the lower back (n=144), the most common diagnosis made was sacroiliac syndrome (48%). X-rays were the most common special investigation requested by KHCCC. The most common co-morbidities reported were hypertension, followed by diabetes and allergies. More than half the sample had undergone previous surgery. Thirty seven percent of patients received treatment for fewer than six visits. Contraindications to chiropractic treatment were indicated in only three patients. The treatment protocols that were predominantly used at the KHCCC were joint manipulation, followed by dry needling, kinesiotape and soft tissue therapy. Two thirds of all patients that were referred to the KHCCC were referred from within the medical profession. With regards to the chiropractic patients globally, similarities respect to patients in the public sector in South Africa to all sectors both locally and internationally, include factors such as majority female patients, top five anatomical locations of complaint, common usage of x-rays as a special investigation, similarities with co-morbidities including cardiovascular and endocrine, the repeated number of visits for the same complaint and manipulation remained treatment of choice. Conclusion: Although this was purely a demographic and descriptive study in nature, it gave a better understanding of patients that presented to a public hospital in a developing country like South Africa. With this demographic and descriptive information obtained in this study, it confirmed that although there is a unique population utilising chiropractic services within the public sector of South Africa, meaningful similarities have been found between patients in the different sectors in South Africa and internationally.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Aim: A paucity of information on chiropractic patients presenting in public community clinics in South Africa (SA) exists. The purpose of this study was to carry out a demographic and disease survey of the patients that presented to the Marburg Haven Clinic, so to identify the patients that presented in a rural community outreach programme. Methods: A retrospective analysis on the patient files at Marburg Haven Clinic was completed in September 2012. Data recorded included demographic data, presenting complaints, patient history and management protocols. Results: Data of 117 patients were documented. Most patients were female (76.1%), with a mean age of 53.3 years. Indian patients (50.4%) presented most often, with a quarter of the patients unemployed (26.5%) or pensioners (21.4%). Of the employed patients, 26.5% had not specified the type of occupation and 9.4% were non-manual workers. Musculoskeletal complaints (21.2%) were the most common complaints at the Marburg Haven Clinic, with the primary diagnosis of sacroiliac syndrome (16.2%), followed by general myofascitis (22.4%). Common co-morbidities reported were hypertension, diabetes and asthma. Less than half the patient population had undergone previous surgeries and/or sought previous treatment from other medical practitioners. Sixteen patients were contra-indicated for manipulation. Common treatment protocols used were spinal manipulation, spinal mobilisation and stretching. Conclusion: This is a demographic and descriptive study of a public community outreach centre in South Africa. In relation to international studies, similarities were that the majority of the patients were female, anatomical sites of complaint (lumbar and cervical pain), common usage of radiographs, co-morbidities including cardiovascular and endocrine pathologies and manipulation were used as the treatment of choice. A prospective longitudinal study with more specific criteria for patient tracking and more defined data capture requirements is recommended to more accurately gather all data within similar settings.