Popularity of alternative health care providers continues to grow

Data from Statistics Canada's National Population Health Survey indicate that Canadians' use of alternative health care practitioners increased steadily in the late 1990s, with the proportion consulting alternative providers rising from 15% in 1994/95 to 17% in 1998/99. Although small, the increase is considered statistically significant.

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Women tended to seek alternative practitioners more than men (19% versus 14%) and Canadians in the 4 western provinces (21% to 25%) were much more likely than those in Atlantic Canada (3% to 9%) to use these providers. This may be because medical insurance plans in the western provinces offer at least partial coverage for chiropractic services. (British Columbia dropped this coverage for most residents in January.)

The young (18-24) and the elderly (65 and over) were less likely to use alternative practitioners (11%) than the rest of the adult population (19%). Twenty percent of people with a college diploma or university degree reported contact with an alternative practitioner, compared with 12% for those with less than high school education.

Chronic pain appeared to be an important factor in choosing to consult an alternative provider. One in 4 people (26%) who had chronic pain went to see an alternative practitioner, compared with 15% of those who did not. People who experienced back pain were more likely (36%) to visit these providers than patients who reported other chronic conditions such as Crohn's disease.

Use of alternative health care providers did not appear to reduce the consumption of conventional medical services. Users of these providers were more likely than nonusers to have made 10 or more physician visits during the past year.