title: Illness perceptions in people with acute bacterial gastro-enteritis.
abstract: Functional gastro-intestinal disorders (FGID) like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common and can develop after gastro-enteritis. Illness representations may be important influences on the development of post-infectious FGIDs. Here, we studied both the relationship between prior chronic symptoms (FGIDs) and illness perception during an acute illness (bacterial gastro-enteritis) as well as the relationship between illness perception during an acute illness (bacterial gastro-enteritis) and the subsequent development of chronic abdominal symptoms. Two hundred and seventeen people with recent gastro-enteritis completed a questionnaire asking about gut symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of IBS, functional dyspepsia or functional diarrhoea and the Illness Perception Questionnaire. Those without a prior FGID were followed up and completed a similar gut questionnaire at six months. People with a prior FGID had significantly more symptoms and scored significantly higher on the timeline and consequence scores than those without. People who developed a FGID had a non-significantly higher number of symptoms and higher consequence and timeline scores than those who did not. Neither comparative group differed in the control/cure scores or causation scores. The implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle Faculty of Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: Sally D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: J Roger
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Welfare
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires