title: Irritable bowel-type symptoms in HMO examinees. Prevalence, demographics, and clinical correlates.
abstract: A study of irritable bowel-type symptoms in 1264 health examinees using a self-administered questionnaire and psychological tests revealed they are common throughout adulthood. Of affected subjects 68% were female, and those with the more severe type (> or = 3 Manning criteria) were predominantly female (80%). Fewer Asians than other racial/ethnic groups had these symptoms. Nongastrointestinal symptoms, physician visits, incontinence, laxative use, a stress effect on bowel pattern and abdominal pain, abdominal surgery, hysterectomy, childhood abuse, use of mind-altering drugs, depression, and anxiety were correlated with irritable bowel-type symptoms. Regression analysis found some of the clinical correlates were independent markers for irritable bowel-type symptoms and that sexual abuse was related to nongastrointestinal symptoms and abdominal surgery independent of irritable bowel-type symptoms. More severe irritable bowel-type symptoms were especially associated with nongastrointestinal symptoms, stress effects, sexual abuse, use of sedatives and oral narcotics, and a past alcohol problem. There are important demographic and clinical correlates with irritable bowel-type symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, San Diego.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Longstreth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolde-Tsadik
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000150:complications; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications