J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2002 Nov-Dec; 25(9): 573-8.

A compilation of chiropractic and complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) data from public-use national surveys: report on a health-services research resource for the chiropractic and CAM scientific community.

Smith M, Carber L.

Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, Iowa 52803, USA. smith_m@palmer.edu

BACKGROUND: Federally funded national surveys are routinely conducted to provide reliable, valid, and relevant data on health and health care, and these "public-use" survey data are typically made available for further study by the wider scientific community. The full potential for using such data to examine the delivery, utilization, organization, and costs of chiropractic or complementary/alternative (CAM) health care remains largely untapped. OBJECTIVE: To report on a project that identifies and indexes public-use survey databases that contain explicit reference to chiropractic and CAM health care, and compiles that information into a web-based resource for the scientific community. METHODS: Review of database source collections. RESULTS: The utility and efficiency of secondary analyses as a cost-effective research strategy are well appreciated within the larger health-services research community, creating many possible opportunities for productive cooperative research endeavors across scientific disciplines. CONCLUSION: The Chiropractic and Complementary/Alternative Compilation User's Manual is available for free download at http://w3.palmer.edu/carber/manualhome.asp, or by following the links at the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research homepage.