Kwon Joins Board of Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation

Christie Kwon DC, MS, MPH recently joined the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation after many years of service as its Executive Director.

Dr. Kwon completed her Doctor of Chiropractic degree within the Research Track at Life University, with Pi Tau Delta honors. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science and Master of Science in Biotechnology degrees from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University, with Delta Omega honors. She has also studied Health Policy at the Harvard School of Public Health and completed a Visiting Fellowship in Functional MRI at the Harvard Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Kwon join the Board of Directors of the Foundation" stated Matthew McCoy DC, MPH and Vice President of the Foundation. McCoy continued "Christie has served the Foundation in so many ways over the years and she has done so much to advance the cause of chiropractic focused on the management of vertebral subluxation. I am excited to see what she does next."

Dr. Christopher Kent DC, JD President of the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation and Professor and Director of Evidence Informed Practice at Sherman College of Chiropractic stated: “Christie Kwon is an underappreciated polymath. Her commitment to chiropractic is steadfast. Her appointment to the Board will help the Foundation to be even more effective in securing the future of chiropractic.”

Dr. Kwon is currently involved in subluxation-based chiropractic research focused on the epidemiology of vertebral subluxation. In fact she is the lead author and investigator on a recently completed study to estimate the prevalence of vertebral subluxation in the population and to explore the public health implications of subluxation using a sample of individuals presenting for chiropractic care.

The study, titled: Secondary Analysis of a Dataset to Estimate the Prevalence of Vertebral Subluxation and its Implications for Health Promotion and Prevention, analyzed a total of 1,851 patient records from 7 chiropractic clinics in 4 states. The study found that the overall prevalence of vertebral subluxation was 79%.

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Despite the focus of so many in the profession on vertebral subluxation no such study had ever been completed by anyone including any chiropractic trade association, chiropractic research organization, technique group or chiropractic school in the history of the profession.

Kwon was awarded an Advancing Futures Research Scholarship by the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation (FVS) to complete her Master’s in Public Health degree at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and the epidemiology research was the basis for her thesis.

She has also engaged in chiropractic and public health research related to maternal and child health outcomes, and is interested in studies on the utilization of fMRI in special populations under care. She has presented her work to chiropractors, educators, and other healthcare professionals from a diverse array of disciplines all over the world.

Her extensive science and research background includes work with the Emory Child Health and Mortality Prevention Study (CHAMPS), the former National Cancer Institute’s American Health Foundation, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine – Neurology Institute for Cell Engineering, the Johns Hopkins Hospital Harriet Lane Adolescent Clinic, and the Engineering Research Center for Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology. She is also a former intern with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council Health Committee.

With over 100 projects either completed or in the works, the FVS has been hard at work addressing research on the vertebral subluxation along with policy and education issues affecting the profession. In addition to actually conducting research the FVS also supports a team of researchers through its scholarship program with over a dozen Fellowships having been granted. The FVS, through its Advancing Futures program, seeks to provide scholarships to individuals who assist in carrying out the Research Agenda of the organization.

Advancing Futures is our best hope at accomplishing a collaborative, organized movement to research subluxation. The FVS' research agenda seeks to validate the profession and position chiropractic as a vitalistic, scientific, evidence informed clinical practice. The more research, the greater the chance the profession will have of gaining a higher degree of respect, understanding and acceptance in the health care marketplace, the scientific community and among the patients it serves. It is imperative to make these new research advancements available to the public, other health professions, and to legislators in order to promote and to systematically advance the field of subluxation centered chiropractic through the initiation of favorable public health policy.

We are at a crossroads in chiropractic. A time where we may lose our identity or forge forward with chiropractic leading the new paradigm of health and well-being. As practitioners, we see the evidence of chiropractic adjustments every day in our practices. To us, it is undeniable. But in terms of substantiating ourselves with the value and recognition we deserve, we are in dire need of this Research Agenda to gain our rightful position: leaders in the location, analysis and correction of vertebral subluxation.

There are so many things one could focus on. The question is what should the focus be? The FVS believes the focus should be on the role of vertebral subluxation and the result of its correction/reduction on health. Through basic and clinical science research, advocating for favorable policy, revising educational standards and service the FVS seeks to place vertebral subluxation at the forefront.

For more information about the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation and its Research Agenda contact us:

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Vice President
vertebralsubluxation@gmail.com
Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation
http://www.vertebralsubluxation.org