Table 3.
Canadian military Veterans’ attitudes toward specific health care providers for the management of chronic low back pain
| Health care discipline | N | Median (IQR) preference ranking, scale 1–12* |
|---|---|---|
| Registered massage therapist | 270 | 3 (2–5) |
| Physiotherapist | 271 | 3 (2–5) |
| Family doctor or GP | 279 | 4 (2–6) |
| Chiropractor | 258 | 5 (2–9) |
| Acupuncturist or TCM practitioner | 252 | 6 (4–9) |
| Physiatrist† | 249 | 7 (4–10) |
| Mental health professional (e.g., psychologist) | 260 | 7 (4–10) |
| Occupational therapist | 256 | 7 (5–9) |
| Orthopedic surgeon | 253 | 8 (5–10) |
| Nurse | 249 | 8 (5.5–10) |
| Neurosurgeon | 247 | 9 (6–10) |
| Other‡ | 241 | 9 (4–12) |
IQR = interquartile range; GP = general physician; TCM = traditional Chinese medicine.
Note: Health care disciplines are listed in order from most to least preferred, based on median endorsement.
*
Preference ranking scale: 1 (most preferred) to 12 (least preferred).
†
A physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
‡
Other health care providers listed by respondents included anesthesiologist, counsellor, cranio-sacral therapist, dietician, kinesiologist, naturopath, occult practitioner, osteopath, physiologist, rheumatologist, and social worker.