The UQTR university-based chiropractic clinic cohort (UQTRChiCo): description and summary of an available data source for research collaborations.

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability in Canada, and chiropractic care is among the most commonly used healthcare services for their management. Despite this, little is known about the quality of care and adherence to clinical practice guidelines in chiropractic educational settings. This study aimed to describe the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières university-based chiropractic clinic cohort (UQTRChiCo) and summarize its patient characteristics, care provided, and available outcome data.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who first consulted at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) chiropractic clinic in 2017, with longitudinal follow-up through 2019. Reasons for clinical consultation (i.e., specific chief complaints) were treated as separate observations. Data were extracted from clinical records and included patient demographics, clinical presentations, care provided, and outcomes measured using validated questionnaires. Follow-up assessments were obtained from re-evaluations conducted at multiple time points between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019.

RESULTS

The UQTRChiCo comprises 2,148 distinct reasons for consultation from 1,305 unique patients (59% female, mean age 31 ± 18 years). The most common presentations were lumbar spine (28%), cervical spine (18%), and thoracic spine complaints (10%). Multiple concurrent complaints were reported in 44% of patients, and 43% of conditions were chronic. Care commonly included spinal manipulative therapy (88%) and soft tissue treatments (93%). Patient education and exercise prescription were documented in 67% and 48% of consultations, respectively. Diagnostic imaging was performed in 19% of consultations. Follow-up outcome documentation was available for 58% of consultations at the first re-evaluation, decreasing to 16% by the third re-evaluation.

CONCLUSION

The UQTRChiCo provides a comprehensive description of an academic chiropractic clinical population primarily seeking care for spinal musculoskeletal complaints. Care delivery reflected a multimodal approach with restrained use of diagnostic imaging. While short-term outcome monitoring proved feasible, substantial attrition over time underscores a key challenge for longitudinal practice-based research in educational clinics. The UQTRChiCo represents a valuable resource for advancing research on care quality, guideline adherence, and patient outcomes in chiropractic training environments.