title: Incidence of laxative abuse in community and bulimic populations: a descriptive review.
abstract: Estimates of the incidence of laxative abuse in bulimics and in the community-at-large vary widely for various population samples. This review identified 73 studies in which laxative abuse could be assessed in bulimics, nonbulimics, and the community-at-large. Relative risk values for laxative abuse among population subsamples were estimated by moment methods statistical procedure based on mixed model analysis. Results indicated that the lifetime occurrence for laxative abuse behavior in the community-at-large was 4.18%. Bulimic behavior increased the risk for laxative abuse 3.57-fold to 14.94%. Several methodologic and population parameter characteristics are examined for their select impact on laxative abuse. Review of medical nomenclature for classifying laxative substances, iatragenic effects of laxative abuse, and assessment recommendations are also included.
authors.affiliation: Focus Associates, Behavioral Health Resources, Lacey, Washington 98503-5719, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Neims
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D002032:Bulimia / Q000209:etiology*; D002400:Cathartics / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015995:Prevalence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics