Abstract
Background: The chiropractic profession appears to be uncertain in terms of its
development and progression in the medical field. To ensure a successful integration,
it is imperative that practitioners receive the necessary education to address these
uncertainties and to ensure continued awareness of the crucial function of chiropractic.
As the profession continues to grow in the country, it is essential to decide on a
professional identity to solidify the role in healthcare. Determining and solidifying the
profession's identity is pivotal in anchoring the profession's foundation. The
chiropractic profession's role has and will continue to be important in cementing where
chiropractors stand in the medical field. The chiropractic student population makes up
a large sum of the current chiropractic collective in South Africa, gaining their
viewpoints may allow us to begin to draw conclusions and establish if and where there
is a gap to possibly better prepare students.
Aim: The primary aim of this study was to determine the views of chiropractic BHSc
and MHSc students at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) regarding the role, identity
and future of the chiropractic profession in South Africa.
Method: This research followed a cross-sectional, quantitative and explorative design.
In South Africa there has not been a survey regarding the role, identity and future of
chiropractic, therefore the researcher based the questionnaire on a survey conducted
by Gliedt et al., (2015) and de Luca et al., (2015).
Procedure: A link with the Google Form was sent to all chiropractic students currently
enrolled for a BHSc or MHSc degrees. An information letter and consent form were
attached, which participants needed to read and consent to before beginning the
survey. All completed forms were collected and analysed with the assistance of a
statistician
Results: 110 students completed this survey (response rate = 44,7%). The results for
this study showed that while the majority of students see the need for evidence based
practice and want more assistance with evidence based practice, they still hold the
subluxation ideology in a high regard. It was also evident that students saw the need
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to expand the chiropractic scope of practice to include screening general wellness and
screening for hazardous alcohol consumption, smoking and physical inactivity. This
suggests that students would like for chiropractic to become a involved with all aspects
of healthcare as opposed to spine care only.
Conclusion: The study revealed that students have divergent viewpoints and
perceptions of the role, identity and future of chiropractic practice. The study further
revealed that there were notable disparities in the viewpoints of junior and senior
students. Diverse perceptions and opinions may demoralise chiropractors and
chiropractic students, and may lead to a mistrust in the chiropractic profession.