Determinants of healthcare-seeking behaviour among subjects with irritable bowel syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Doctor visits for irritable bowel syndrome are associated with high medical costs. Predictors of medical consultation for irritable bowel syndrome remain poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
To determine factors associated with healthcare seeking for irritable bowel syndrome.


METHODS
Subjects from previous US population-based survey were contacted 2 years later. Those who continued to have irritable bowel syndrome were included.


RESULTS
49% of subjects sought medical care for abdominal symptoms in the past year. Healthcare seeking did not differ significantly between males and females, but more females received an irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis. Predictors of irritable bowel syndrome healthcare seeking differed by gender. In multivariate analysis, age > or = 55 years (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.5-5.4), fear abdominal symptoms relates to serious illness (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 0.95-3.1), decreased bowel movements (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 0.98-3.2), dyspepsia (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 0.94-3.2) and pelvic pain (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2-4.4) were associated with seeking care in females. Among males, being disabled (OR = 11.6, 95% CI: 2.4-56.1) and abdominal cramping (OR =4.3, 95% CI: 1.2-15.4) were associated with seeking care. Healthcare seekers had lower irritable bowel syndrome-related quality of life. Neither pain severity nor mental health status was associated with seeking care.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare-seeking behaviour among irritable bowel syndrome patients was determined by presence of comorbidities and extent that irritable bowel syndrome affected quality of life, not physical symptoms or mental health status.
Williams
R E
RE
Worldwide Epidemiology, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3395, USA. rachel.e.williams@gsk.com
Black
C L
CL
Kim
H-Y
HY
Andrews
E B
EB
Mangel
A W
AW
Buda
J J
JJ
Cook
S F
SF
D000328:Adult; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life