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Table 2 Item specific responses from non-practicing chiropractors*

From: Attitudes of non-practicing chiropractors: a pilot survey concerning factors related to attrition

Item

Strongly agree n (%)

Moderately agree n (%)

Neutral n (%)

Moderately disagree n (%)

Strongly disagree n (%)

Financial Domain items

Salary surveys are realistically aligned with the real world of chiropractic practice

2 (3%)

10 (14%)

9 (13%)

14 (20%)

35 (50%)

Salaries in associate practice are fair.

1 (1%)

7 (10%)

13 (19%)

21 (30%)

28 (40%)

Associates in a chiropractic practice are often encouraged to prolong the care of patients

37 (54%)

12 (17%)

8 (12%)

5 (7%)

7 (10%)

Evidence-based chiropractors can earn a fair living in chiropractic as compared to non-evidence-based chiropractors.

8 (12%)

13 (19%)

13 (19%)

15 (22%)

20 (28%)

Overhead expense is a contributing factor to practice success.

29 (42%)

26 (38%)

6 (9%)

5 (7%)

3 (4%)

A lack of benefits (paid vacation, health insurance, etc) is a factor in career success and happiness.

23 (33%)

22 (31%)

9 (13%)

6 (9%)

10 (14%)

Courses in business in the chiropractic curriculum enhance the success as a practicing chiropractor

10 (14%)

14 (20%)

13 (19%)

13 (19%)

20 (28%)

Student loan repayment is not a factor in career success in chiropractic.

4 (6%)

5 (7%)

16 (23%)

16 (23%)

29 (41%)

Chiropractic is an easy career to make money.

3 (4%)

4 (6%)

5 (7%)

11 (16%)

47 (67%)

Insurance reimbursement rates and increased paperwork are not a factor in practice success

3 (4%)

7 (10%)

8 (11%)

17 (24%)

35 (50%)

Regulations such as HIPAA and other federal laws made it difficult to maintain a thriving practice.

7 (10%)

7 (10%)

18 (26%)

21 (30%)

17 (24%)

Educational Domain items

With a chiropractic education, one should not have trouble finding gainful employment outside of chiropractic

5 (7%)

6 (9%)

7 (10%)

15 (21%)

37 (53%)

A chiropractic education is an asset when pursuing another career.

6 (9%)

13 (19%)

7 (10%)

17 (24%)

27 (38%)

Overall, the chiropractic education has value.

12 (17%)

22 (32%)

8 (12%)

13 (19%)

14 (20%)

Chiropractic is not a good career choice.

47 (67%)

5 (7%)

6 (9%)

1 (1%)

11 (16%)

I would encourage others to become a chiropractor.

5 (7%)

4 (6%)

6 (8%)

4 (6%)

51 (73%)

Chiropractic training provides an adequate background to evaluate and assimilate the health research base

6 (9%)

19 (27%)

6 (9%)

13 (19%)

25 (36%)

There is misleading information about chiropractic before entering chiropractic school.

39 (56%)

15 (21%)

4 (6%)

4 (6%)

8 (11%)

Chiropractic schools admissions information was accurate when you entered into chiropractic school.

11 (16%)

11 (16%)

14 (20%)

10 (14%)

24 (34%)

Psychosocial Domain items

Burn-out is not a factor in leaving active chiropractic practice.

7 (10%)

11 (16%)

4 (6%)

23 (33%)

24 (35%)

Having received care by a chiropractor is important for career success.

8 (11%)

13 (19%)

16 (23%)

11 (16%)

22 (31%)

The title of doctor is an attractive feature of being a chiropractor.

16 (23%)

30 (43%)

12 (17%)

7 (10%)

5 (7%)

Business ethics in chiropractic are perceived as questionable.

47 (67%)

9 (13%)

3 (4%)

6 (9%)

5 (7%)

There are too many chiropractors currently in practice.

40 (57%)

10 (14%)

13 (19%)

3 (4%)

4 (6%)

Setting one's own hours is an attractive feature.

40 (57%)

23 (33%)

4 (6%)

2 (3%)

1 (1%)

An associates experience in chiropractic practice is a reason for many leaving the profession.

12 (17%)

18 (26%)

19 (28%)

8 (12%)

12 (17%)

To be a good chiropractor, one must be a good adjuster.

9 (13%)

23 (33%)

11 (16%)

11 (16%)

16 (22%)

Political Domain items

Chiropractic lacks cultural authority.

27 (40%)

23 (34%)

14 (21%)

1 (1%)

3 (4%)

If the practice of chiropractic became more like medicine's reputation I would re-enter into chiropractic practice.

14 (20%)

21 (30%)

10 (15%)

11 (16%)

13 (19%)

The political problems (non-unity, philosophy, subluxation, etc) in chiropractic are factors in being perceived as a quality clinician.

25 (36%)

15 (22%)

13 (19%)

5 (7%)

11 (16%)

The scope of practice in chiropractic is too narrow to effectively treat patients

20 (28%)

19 (27%)

6 (9%)

14 (20%)

11 (16%)

The dogma and philosophy of chiropractic are reasons to abandon active chiropractic practice.

23 (33%)

19 (27%)

8 (11%)

7 (10%)

13 (19%)

There are many chiropractors I know who are not in active practice.

16 (23%)

14 (20%)

21 (30%)

9 (13%)

10 (14%)

Chiropractors who are not in active practice are considered failures by practicing chiropractors

23 (33%)

22 (31%)

12 (17%)

6 (9%)

10 (10%)

Being injured by a chiropractor or causing injury by chiropractic treatment can be a factor in leaving active practice.

9 (13%)

19 (27%)

20 (29%)

10 (15%)

11 (16%)

  1. *Some of the data in the columns is missing due to non-response and not included in percentage of measureable responses.