The Impact of Chiropractic Care on Opioid Prescriptions in Veterans Health Administration Patients Receiving Low Back Pain Care.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Key nonpharmacologic therapies, including those routinely provided by chiropractors, are recommended first-line treatments for low back pain (LBP). Little is known on whether such care provided in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) has a downstream effect on the use of other healthcare services, including opioid prescriptions.

Objective

To evaluate the impact of chiropractic care on receipt of opioid prescriptions within 365 days of an incident primary care provider (PCP) visit for LBP among opioid-naïve VA patients.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis with longitudinal follow-up.

Participants

Patients had an LBP visit with a VA PCP between 10/1/2015 and 9/30/2020, without any VA LBP visit in the preceding 18 months, and then 2 subsequent VA LBP vis

SUBMITTER: Lisi AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12686267 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature