• Lucente M
• Krabbe JP

• Education, Chiropractic
• Open Access Document
• Students
• Students, Chiropractic

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of demographic variation on wellness knowledge within a chiropractic student population.

Methods: Students at a chiropractic college were administered a validated Wellness Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Instrument (WKABI). The WKABI instrument measures knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in the intervention areas of physical activity, nutrition, and stress management. Scores were tabulated for each section. Demographics were included as part of the instrument. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic information. Univariate analysis was used to examine the effect of demographic characteristics on levels of wellness knowledge. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were performed. Spearman’s Rho correlations, standard deviation, mean, and percentage were used to analyze the data.

Results: Statistics showed significant demographic variation in wellness knowledge for gender, description of health, and ethnicity. Variation in wellness knowledge for marital status, body mass index, and highest level of education was not significant. Mean score on the knowledge section was 77.3%.

Conclusion: Significant demographic variation in wellness knowledge was present in a chiropractic student population. Further research will be required in this population to identify what other factors may influence wellness knowledge.

Author keywords: Chiropractic; Medical Education; Wellness; Demographics

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