Open AccessHealth care utilization of individuals with Rome IV irritable bowel syndrome in the general population
Author(s) -
Tornkvist Navkiran T.,
Aziz Imran,
Whitehead William E.,
Sperber Ami D.,
Palsson Olafur S.,
Hreinsson Jóhann Pall,
Simrén Magnus,
Törnblom Hans
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
ueg journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.667
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 2050-6414
pISSN - 2050-6406
DOI - 10.1002/ueg2.12153
Subject(s) - medicine , irritable bowel syndrome , bloating , odds ratio , confidence interval , health care , abdominal pain , population , environmental health , economics , economic growth
Abstract Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is highly prevalent worldwide but mechanisms for healthcare seeking behaviours in this patient group are poorly understood. Objective To describe healthcare utilization and identify factors associated with seeking healthcare amongst IBS subjects in the general population. Methods An internet survey was completed by 6,300 individuals equally distributed between United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire was used to identify subjects with IBS. Data on demographics, medical history, gastrointestinal (GI) and non‐GI symptoms, quality of life and health care consumption was collected. Results A total of 5,931 subjects were included; 274 (4.6%) IBS subjects and 5657 (95.3%) non‐IBS controls. IBS subjects reported more doctor consultations for both GI and other health problems as well as increased use of medication and rate of abdominal surgery (appendectomy excluded). Having healthcare insurance or access to free public healthcare (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31–15.44), followed by high frequency of bloating (AOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.42–4.93) and increasing age (AOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.05) were found to be independently associated with being an IBS consulter while doctor‐diagnosed IBS subjects were more likely to be female and to report abdominal pain as their most bothersome GI symptom than other consulters with IBS. Conclusion IBS subjects have higher healthcare utilization than non‐IBS controls, medication use and abdominal surgery included. Furthermore, consulters with and without an IBS diagnosis differ in sex distribution and symptom profiles. Hence, awareness of the possibility of unnecessary medical and surgical treatment in IBS subjects and a sex‐related diagnostic bias by doctors is warranted.