title: Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in Korea: population-based survey using the Rome II criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder in the West. But information on the prevalence of IBS in Asia is still lacking, especially in Korea. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to estimate the prevalence of IBS in the general population of Korea and also to investigate characteristics of IBS and health-care-seeking behavior of IBS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone interview survey was conducted by Gallup, Korea using a validated questionnaire based on the Rome II criteria. The response rate of the telephone interview survey was 25.2% (n = 1066, 535 male and 531 female responders). A random sample of gender and age (between 18 and 60 years), based on a per capita ratio was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1066 subjects, the prevalence of IBS was 6.6% (70 subjects; 7.1%, male; 6.0%, female). The difference in IBS prevalence by gender was not significant. The prevalence was higher among those in their 20s (P = 0.036). Among 70 subjects with IBS, 10/20 IBS subjects sought health care due to abdominal pain. Among the risk factors of IBS, marital status had a significant difference; the following risk factors are arranged in descending order: age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-2.25), alcohol intake (OR: 1.38, 95%CI: 0.81-2.35), gender (OR: 1.19, 95%CI: 0.73-1.94), demographics (OR: 1.09, 95%CI: 0.53-2.25), income (OR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.54-1.45), education level (OR: 0.81, 95%CI: 0.46-1.40), smoking (OR: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.37-1.12), and marital status (OR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.35-0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of IBS in the Korean population is 6.6%, and the male:female ratio is similar. Also, IBS is more frequent in younger subjects. Irritable bowel syndrome subjects visited a physician mostly due to abdominal pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Oh Young
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Seok Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Ho Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Joon Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hahm
authors.forename: Min Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Hoo
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tae Hwa
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires