The attrition rate of licensed chiropractors in California: an exploratory ecological investigation of time-trend data

Abstract

BackgroundThe authors hypothesized the attrition rate of licensed chiropractors in California has gradually increased over the past several decades. "Attrition" as determined for this study is defined as a loss of legal authority to practice chiropractic for any reason during the first 10 years after the license was issued. The percentage of license attrition after 10 years was determined for each group of graduates licensed in California each year between 1970 and 1998. The cost of tuition, the increase in the supply of licensed chiropractors and the ratio of licensed chiropractors to California residents were examined as possible influences on the rate of license attrition.MethodsThe attrition rate was determined by a retrospective analysis of license status data obtained from the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Other variables were determined from US Bureau of Census data, survey data from the American Chiropractic Association and catalogs from a US chiropractic college.ResultsThe 10-year attrition rate rose from 10% for those graduates licensed in 1970 to a peak of 27.8% in 1991. The 10-year attrition rate has since remained between 20-25% for the doctors licensed between 1992-1998.ConclusionsAvailable evidence supports the hypothesis that the attrition rate for licensed chiropractors in the first 10 years of practice has risen in the past several decades.

Burnout among chiropractic practitioners: real or imagined. An exploratory study protocol.

“…This perception would stand in contrast to a retrospective analysis [28] of licensed chiropractors in California. Here, alarmingly, the authors identified that the attrition in the first 10 years of practice rose from 10% to 25% in the past decade.…”

“…Here, alarmingly, the authors identified that the attrition in the first 10 years of practice rose from 10% to 25% in the past decade. The authors hypothesized that the rising attrition rate of chiropractors may be linked to a number of forces such as changes in population, an oversupply of chiropractors, changes in reimbursement, the cost of education, and chiropractors' general dissatisfaction with their own profession [28]. In addition, data from a recent pilot study [29] exploring the attitudes of non-practicing chiropractors suggest that business ethics, overhead expenses and salaries were contributing factors of attrition in the chiropractic profession.…”

The relationship between chiropractor required and current level of business knowledge

“…In the province of Ontario Canada, the number of practicing chiropractors doubled from 1990 to 2004 [ 32 ]. Similar trends in the supply of licensed chiropractors occurred in the state of California from 1970 to 1998.…”

“…Similar trends in the supply of licensed chiropractors occurred in the state of California from 1970 to 1998. Foreman and Stahl [ 32 ] noted that during this period, the number of licensed chiropractors within the state of California increased by 170%. This represented a significant increase from the general population that expanded by 65% during the same period.…”

Demand for Audiology Services: 30-Yr Projections and Impact on Academic Programs

“…It is unrealistic to believe the attrition rate can be lowered to this degree as attrition occurs for a variety of reasons, including job elimination, maternity, death, disability, or illness. Other professions such as teaching, nursing, chiropractic, and physical therapy show attrition rates between 20 and 40% (Struber, 2003;Eggen, 2012;Foreman and Stahl, 2010). The reports by Doyle and Freeman and by Bennett and Steiger would suggest that there will be a lowering of the attrition rate, but whether attrition rates even as low as the 20% level can be reached cannot yet be determined.…”