CONCURRENT UTILIZATION OF CHIROPRACTIC, PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES, NONPRESCRIPTION MEDICINES AND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH-CARE

This study examines the use of chiropractic, prescription medicines, n onprescription medicines and alternative health care for two independe nt samples representative of the population of Edmonton, Alberta, Cana da in 1979 (n = 439) and again in 1988 (n = 464). While the usage of p rescription medicines was unchanged from 1979 to 1988, utilization of nonprescription medicines, chiropractic and alternative health care in creased. Users of chiropractic tended to be concurrent users of the co nventional health care system, although they were also more likely to utilize alternative health care. This study shows that Edmontonians te nd to select their health care concurrently from various health care m odalities including both prescription and nonprescription medicines an d conventional and alternative health care.