Palmer College of Chiropractic is a private chiropractic college with its main campus in Davenport, Iowa. It was established in 1897 by Daniel David Palmer and was the first school of chiropractic in the world. The college's name was originally the Palmer School and Cure and later became the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Most early chiropractic schools were founded by Palmer alumni.
Objective:The purpose of this study was to investigate the services and resources health sciences libraries and librarians can provide to support chiropractic faculty in conducting research and increase institutional research capacity. Methods:A one-time, anonymous, online survey was administered to a convenience sample of 120 faculty at a North American chiropractic college in December 2024. The 11-item questionnaire was adapted from prior research in academic health sciences libraries and included both quantitative and qualitative questions about respondents' research interests, experience, needs and library use. Descriptive data analysis was completed. Results:The survey was completed by 39 faculty (response rate = 32.5%). Seventy-four percent (n = 29) of respondents had sought research assistance from the library. The areas of greatest interest in library research support were literature searching (56%, n = 20), citation management (53%, n = 19), data analysis (53%, n = 19), research design (39%, n = 14), and journal selection (39%, n = 14). Fifty-six percent (n = 22) of respondents were interested in library research workshops, particularly asynchronous video training. Respondents reported the following research interests: educational research (62%, n = 24), case reports (46%, n = 18), clinical research (44%, n = 17), evidence synthesis (38%, n = 15), historical research (23%, n = 9), and other (5%, n = 2). Conclusion:Most respondents had sought research assistance from the library in the past, and more than half were interested in future research training from the library which suggests that the library supports research capacity building within the organization.
This webinar will focus on the successful Special Issue in Chiropractic Manual Therapies, titled 'Manual Therapies for Older Adults during the Decade of Healthy Ageing'. Authors from all 10 publications in the Special Issue will be joining, to present their research, discuss findings in detail, and answer your questions. Image credit: Sincerely Media (Unsplash) .
Multisite musculoskeletal pain is highly prevalent and negatively impacts physical function through several potential mechanisms. However, it remains unclear how the number of affected pain regions relates to function. This study explored associations between different aspects of pain (global pain intensity, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, pain interference) and physical function in individuals with multisite pain. This cross-sectional analysis included 101 participants aged 18–85 years. Multisite pain was assessed across eight anatomic regions, using binary questions, with scores based on total affected sites. A composite function score was derived via principal component analysis from self-reported physical function, objective gait speed, and clinician-assessed dynamic balance. Hierarchical multivariable linear regression models examined the associations between number of pain regions and composite function, adjusting for age, sex and BMI, with sequential addition of global pain intensity, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, and pain interference. Participants (aged 40 ± 17.6; 69
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Chronic pain in older adults affects mobility, cognition, and social isolation. Episodic medical visits often struggle to address the complexity of chronic pain. Group medical visits combine clinical care with group education and peer support, addressing limitations of one-on-one care. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated group medical visit's effectiveness for chronic pain management in older adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:A systematic literature search was conducted in June 2025 for studies evaluating group medical visits in adults aged ≥60 with chronic pain. The review included randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized trials, and single-arm studies. The primary outcome was pain intensity. Random-effects meta-analyses examined within-group (pre-post) and between-group (group medical visits vs control) effects. RESULTS:10 studies (n = 1,255 participants) were included, comprising 7 randomized controlled trials, 2 single-arm interventional studies, and 1 nonrandomized controlled trial. The meta-analysis of within-group changes for those receiving group medical visits demonstrated a significant but moderate reduction in pain from baseline to post-intervention (Hedges' g = -0.54, 95% CI: -0.82 to -0.26, p < .001). The between-group meta-analysis of randomized trials also showed a significant, although smaller, effect favoring group medical visits over control conditions (Hedges' g = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.44 to -0.05, p = .01). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS:Pain intensity improved in older adults enrolled in group medical visits. Although the magnitude of effect is modest when compared to control conditions, findings suggest that group medical visits may be a successful model of care. Future research should focus on identifying characteristics of group medical visits that contribute most to improved outcomes.
INTRODUCTION:The cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains unknown, largely relies on Angle of Trunk Rotation (ATR) measurements via the validated Bunnell Scoliometer™. While low-cost, non-standard plastic inclinometers are increasingly utilized, their diagnostic accuracy remains uncertain. This lack of standardization may lead to inconsistent results and patient misclassification, necessitating a systematic comparison of these devices against a reference standard. This study evaluates the reliability and diagnostic consistency of four commercially available instruments against the Bunnell Scoliometer™ - the established gold standard - to determine their clinical utility in scoliosis screening. METHODS:Data were collected from a sample of 64 male adolescents. The ATR was measured at four anatomical spinal levels: upper thoracic (T4), mid-thoracic (T7), thoracolumbar (TL), and lumbar (L3). Five different instruments were used for each measurement, with Bunnell ScoliometerTM (#1) serving as the gold standard. A total of 256 measurement points 512 measurements were recorded by two professional individuals. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were utilized to quantify the relationship between the standard and the test instrument. RESULTS:The analysis revealed varying levels of agreement with the standard. Instrument 3 demonstrated the highest reliability (r = 0.92, p < 0.05), followed by Instrument 4 (r = 0.89, p< 0.01) and 5 (r = 0.81, p < 0.01), that showed a moderate correlation, while Instrument 2 exhibited the lowest consistency with the standard (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). DISCUSSION:The observed performance variance - most notably the high reliability of Instrument 3 compared to the poor reliability of Instrument 2 - underscores the clinical risks inherent in unvalidated screening tools. These discrepancies are likely rooted in inconsistent manufacturing standards. While Instrument 3 (Baseline Scoliosis Meter), like the Bunnell Scoliometer™, is an FDA and CE-certified Class I medical device subject to strict regulatory oversight, many market alternatives lack such rigor. In these unvalidated devices, internal mechanical factors - such as the viscosity of the damping fluid, the mass and balance of the indicator ball, and the granularity of the printed scale - can vary significantly, leading to measurement drift. CONCLUSION:To ensure the integrity of AIS screen, the use of unvalidated devices should be avoided in professional clinical settings. Manufacturing inconsistencies and a lack of quality control directly compromise diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.
