The Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) Research Department was well represented at the annual meeting of the Kansas Public Health Association (KPHA), as the department had work selected for presentation at the event. Held Oct. 2-3 in Wichita, the meeting was attended by Dr. Mark Pfefer, director of research at CUKC, and student, Jackson Berg. Two student-led, poster presentations showcased the work of Berg and his fellow doctor of chiropractic student, Rachel Gilmore. Pfefer had a review paper accepted for a Sunflower Spotlight platform presentation.
Berg’s poster presentation involved diagnosis and management of tick-borne illness, with implications for chiropractors, as patients may initially seek care for joint pain and headaches. Gilmore’s presentation involved a review of research which highlighted fall prevention, and improvement in motor control in older patients receiving chiropractic care.
The platform presentation by Pfefer was titled “Opioid use reduction with chiropractic care for patients with back pain and musculoskeletal pain: A narrative review.” He presented a review of research which makes the case for decreased use of opioids for patients with pain, while using guideline concordant chiropractic care and manual therapy interventions.
The KPHA is a professional association for Kansas public health practitioners, professionals, and advocates. It is the largest and oldest public health organization in the state. This year KPHA is celebrating 75 years of promoting and improving population health in Kansas.