Table 3. Source of Patients and Role of Licensed Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, and Naturopathic Physicians in Care of Patient (Consecutive Patient Visits) by State (1998-99).
  Source of Patients   Have Seen Patient
Before
Patient Believed to Be
Receiving Care From
MD/DO for Primary
Reason for Visit
% (SE)
Discussed Care of this
Patient With
Profession and
State
Patient
Self-Referral*
% (SE)
MD/DO
Referral
% (SE)
CAM
Referral†
% (SE)
  For Any
Reason
% (SE)
For Same
Reason
% (SE)
MD/DO
% (SE)
CAM
Provider
% (SE)
Acupuncture
Massachusetts 74.3 (1.7) 9.9 (1.3) 9.4 (1.0)   81.5 (1.9) 73.9 (2.1) 56.2 (1.9) 10.9 (1.2) 11.7 (1.2)
Washington 69.8 (1.9) 12.2 (1.5) 12.6 (1.2)   78.9 (2.0) 73.2 (2.1) 49.7 (2.1) 9.9 (1.3) 13.3 (1.4)
Chiropractic
Arizona 87.2 (1.4) 3.5 (0.7) 3.5 (0.6)   80.7 (2.8) 72.7 (2.9) 16.8 (1.7) 10.8 (1.5) 4.4 (0.8)
Massachusetts 81.1 (1.5) 6.6 (0.9) 6.2 (0.9)   88.7 (1.3) 79.5 (1.6) 18.2 (1.4) 15.5 (1.4) 10.2 (1.4)
Massage therapy
Connecticut 75.1 (3.7) 3.8 (1.1) 16.5 (3.6)   77.5 (2.3) 65.9 (2.5) 22.1 (1.8) 3.6 (1.2) 18.2 (3.7)
Washington 64.1 (2.6) 10.7 (1.8) 19.3 (2.0)   81.5 (1.8) 72.0 (2.1) 29.7 (2.2) 8.4 (1.4) 20.5 (2.0)
Naturopathy
Connecticut 84.0 (2.5) 5.9 (1.6) 5.6 (1.4)   77.6 (2.3) 60.3 (3.0) 46.2 (2.7) 14.9 (2.9) 4.1 (1.1)
Washington 80.1 (1.7) 5.8 (0.8) 7.6 (1.0)   78.5 (1.6) 64.0 (2.0) 32.3 (1.9) 13.2 (1.7) 6.1 (0.9)
Conventional physicians
(US, 1997-98)
15.8 (0.2)   85.7 (0.2)‡ 65.2 (0.2)‡

MD = doctor of medicine, DO = doctor of osteopathy, CAM = complementary and alternative medicine, SE = standard error.
*Includes referral by another patient, friend, relative, or advertisement.
†Acupuncturist, chiropractor, massage therapist, or naturopathic physician.
‡1995-96 data.