Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce
Abstract Background As health systems worldwide continue to face health workforce challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, chiropractors can play an important role in meeting increasing needs for rehabilitation services. However, limited evidence from some countries suggests the chiropractic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Discover Social Science and Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00148-x |
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| author | Pablo Miah Neeru Gupta |
| author_facet | Pablo Miah Neeru Gupta |
| author_sort | Pablo Miah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background As health systems worldwide continue to face health workforce challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, chiropractors can play an important role in meeting increasing needs for rehabilitation services. However, limited evidence from some countries suggests the chiropractic workforce does not reflect the diversity of the population it serves. This observational study quantifies the chiropractor workforce in Canada in gender and ethnocultural composition and earnings, as tracers of equity and inclusion within this healthcare profession. Methods We used 2021 population census data with integrated administrative income tax records to identify and characterize chiropractic practitioners aged 25–54. Following a descriptive analysis, multivariate regression and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition methods were applied to assess gender and ethnic earnings differences, adjusting for a range of professional and personal factors. Results The chiropractic workforce was underrepresented regarding women (44.5% versus 50.6% of the total population) and visible minorities (20.0% versus 26.5%). Despite similar levels of education, women’s (unadjusted) earnings averaged 77.1 cents for every dollar earned by men in pandemic-affected 2020, narrowing slightly from 76.7 cents in 2019. Regression results showed significant earnings differences by gender and by ethnocultural identity, adjusting for other factors. An unexplainable gender wage gap persisted in the decomposition analysis, with women earning 6% less than men due to factors that could not be explained by differences in age structure or part-time work, pointing to additional contributing but unmeasured structural dynamics. Conclusion Significant earnings disparities by gender and ethnicity among chiropractors emphasize the need for equity-oriented initiatives in leadership opportunities and compensation structures, to help influence the attractiveness of the profession to new talent. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c5a9747d743c4ac485a1da59afc6f667 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-0469 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Social Science and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-c5a9747d743c4ac485a1da59afc6f6672025-01-19T12:39:24ZengSpringerDiscover Social Science and Health2731-04692025-01-015111010.1007/s44155-025-00148-xGender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforcePablo Miah0Neeru Gupta1New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training (NB-IRDT)Department of Sociology, University of New BrunswickAbstract Background As health systems worldwide continue to face health workforce challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, chiropractors can play an important role in meeting increasing needs for rehabilitation services. However, limited evidence from some countries suggests the chiropractic workforce does not reflect the diversity of the population it serves. This observational study quantifies the chiropractor workforce in Canada in gender and ethnocultural composition and earnings, as tracers of equity and inclusion within this healthcare profession. Methods We used 2021 population census data with integrated administrative income tax records to identify and characterize chiropractic practitioners aged 25–54. Following a descriptive analysis, multivariate regression and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition methods were applied to assess gender and ethnic earnings differences, adjusting for a range of professional and personal factors. Results The chiropractic workforce was underrepresented regarding women (44.5% versus 50.6% of the total population) and visible minorities (20.0% versus 26.5%). Despite similar levels of education, women’s (unadjusted) earnings averaged 77.1 cents for every dollar earned by men in pandemic-affected 2020, narrowing slightly from 76.7 cents in 2019. Regression results showed significant earnings differences by gender and by ethnocultural identity, adjusting for other factors. An unexplainable gender wage gap persisted in the decomposition analysis, with women earning 6% less than men due to factors that could not be explained by differences in age structure or part-time work, pointing to additional contributing but unmeasured structural dynamics. Conclusion Significant earnings disparities by gender and ethnicity among chiropractors emphasize the need for equity-oriented initiatives in leadership opportunities and compensation structures, to help influence the attractiveness of the profession to new talent.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00148-x |
| spellingShingle | Pablo Miah Neeru Gupta Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce Discover Social Science and Health |
| title | Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce |
| title_full | Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce |
| title_fullStr | Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce |
| title_short | Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce |
| title_sort | gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the canadian chiropractic workforce |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00148-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pablomiah genderandethnicdiversityandwagegapsinthecanadianchiropracticworkforce AT neerugupta genderandethnicdiversityandwagegapsinthecanadianchiropracticworkforce |