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Statistics

2012 Health Manpower Survey

Summary of the Characteristics of Chiropractors

I.  Chiropractors Covered

1.1  The chiropractors covered in the 2012 HMS were chiropractors registered with the Chiropractors Council under the Chiropractors Registration Ordinance (Chapter 428) as at the survey reference date - 31.8.2012.

1.2  The number of chiropractors covered was 168.

1.3  Of the 168 registered chiropractors covered, 110 responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 65.5%.  Among the respondents, 93 were economically active*† (active) in the local chiropractic profession as at 31.8.2012 and 17 reported that they were economically inactive*‡ (inactive) (Chart A) .

1.4  Of the 17 inactive chiropractors, 15 (88.2%) reported practising overseas / in the Mainland and two (11.8%) were not seeking job in the local chiropractic profession during the 30 days before the survey (Chart A) .

1.5  Two registered chiropractors did not indicate sex.  Of the remaining 91 active chiropractors enumerated who were practising in the local chiropractic profession, 66 (72.5%) were male and 25 (27.5%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio (males per 100 females) of 264.  Four registered chiropractors did not indicate age and the median age of the remaining 89 active chiropractors enumerated was 40.0 years.  The median age of the active female chiropractors enumerated was 32.0 years and that of their male counterparts was 42.0 years.

1.6  The responding active chiropractors were requested to indicate the characteristics of their main jobs*.  Distribution by sector for the main job showed that all the 93 active chiropractors enumerated were working in the private sector.  Among them, the larger proportion (59.1%) was in group practice and the remaining 40.9% were in solo practice.

1.7  The median age of the active chiropractors enumerated was 46.0 years for those working in solo practice and 36.0 years for those working in group practice.

1.8  Of the 93 active chiropractors enumerated, 97.8% spent most of their working time on service in chiropractic, followed by 2.2% on administration / management.

* In the survey, the criteria used in defining economically active / inactive followed those recommended by the International Labour Organization, which are also being used by the Census and Statistics Department in Hong Kong.

† "Economically active" chiropractors comprised all "employed" and "unemployed" chiropractors.  "Employed" chiropractors referred to those chiropractors practising in the chiropractic profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, while “unemployed” chiropractors referred to those chiropractors who (a) were not practising in the local chiropractic profession during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the chiropractic profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡ "Economically inactive" chiropractors comprised the chiropractors who were not practising in the chiropractic profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, but excluding those who had been on leave during the survey period and who were "economically active" but "unemployed".

Chart A : Activity Status of Chiropractors Covered

Text Version

Of the 168 chiropractors covered, 110 (65.5%) responded to the survey, while the remaining 58 (34.5%) did not respond. Among the respondents, 93 (84.5%) were active in the local chiropractic profession, while 17 (15.5%) reported to be inactive in the local chiropractic profession.

1.9  The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 93 active chiropractors enumerated was 40.0 hours.  Among them, 82 (88.2%) were not required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty) and ten (10.8%) were required to undertake on-call duty, with a median of 10.0 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

1.10  Regarding the average number of consultations / patients encountered per working day, 43.0% of the active chiropractors enumerated reported to have a range of 11 to 20 consultations / patients, 30.1% reported to have 10 consultations / patients or below per working day and 16.1% reported to have 21 to 30 consultations / patients and 10.8% reported to have 31 consultations / patients or above per working day.

1.11  Of the 93 active chiropractors enumerated, 67.7% held Doctoral Degree, 19.4% held Bachelor’s Degree and 12.9% held Master’s Degree as their basic qualifications.

1.12  Of the 93 active chiropractors enumerated, 56 (60.2%) received / were receiving additional training and 37 (39.8%) did not receive any additional training.  Of the 56 active chiropractors enumerated with additional training, two (3.6%) had not yet completed the additional training, 24 (42.9%) held Certificate and nine (16.1%) held Doctoral Degree as the highest qualification.

1.13  Of the 56 chiropractors who received / were receiving additional training, 23.0% were trained in chiropractic, 13.5% in acupuncture, 11.9% in sports injuries and 10.3% in musculoskeletal diseases management.

1.14  Of the 56 chiropractors who received / were receiving additional training, 30 (53.6%) were trained in one field of additional training.  Among them, 36.7% were trained in chiropractic, 26.7% in acupuncture, 10.0% in kinesio taping, 6.7% in sport injuries and 3.3% for each field in diagnostic radiography, first aid, musculoskeletal diseases management, neurology, nutrition and paediatrics.

II.  Trend Analysis

2.1  Comparison of findings of the 2012 HMS with those surveys before 2004 should be cautious as the survey methodology and reference date had been changed.

2.2  With the enactment of the Chiropractors Registration (Fees) Regulation and the Chiropractors (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Rules, Chapter 428 subsidiary legislations A and B, Laws of Hong Kong, registration of the profession of chiropractors commenced on 1 September 2001.  Relevant provisions in the Ordinance which prohibit practice of chiropractic by unregistered persons has come into effect on 13 February 2003.  Between 1996 and 2012, the number of chiropractors increased from 27 to 168 (Chart B) .

2.3  An increasing trend was observed in the proportion of female chiropractors, as indicated by the decrease of sex ratio (males per 100 females) from 2 300 in 1996 to 264 in 2012 (Table A) .

2.4  The mean age of the active chiropractors enumerated remained stable at 41.6 years to 43.7 years between 1996 and 2012.

2.5  One active chiropractor did not indicate the sector of work in the 2005 HMS. All the remaining active chiropractors enumerated from 1996 to 2012 were found practising in the private sector (Table A) .

Chart B : Number of Chiropractors Covered by Year (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2012)

Text Version

Figures of 1996 and 2000 refer to the number of chiropractors reported by the responding institutions as at 1st July of the respective years, whereas the figures of 2004 to 2007, 2009 and 2012 refer to the number of chiropractors registered with the Chiropractors Council as at 31st August of the respective years.

Table A : Selected Characteristics of Active Chiropractors Enumerated (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005 ,2006, 2007, 2009 and 2012)

Text Version

25 Nov 2013