title: Public awareness of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: A national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are lifelong inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) progressing over time. Lack of public awareness may contribute to tardy consultation of primary care physicians, late diagnosis and development of potentially preventable complications of disease. A public opinion poll has been performed to assess the awareness of CD and UC in the Austrian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In March/April 2006, 122 interviewers of an international polling institute asked 1001 Austrians aged 16 and over about their knowledge of CD and UC. People interviewed were selected using a quota sampling scheme representing the Austrian population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD and UC were never heard/read in 68% and 79% (group 1), respectively, whereas 23% and 14% had already heard/read these terms (group 2). Only 9% and 7% of participants gained information on or were familiar with CD and UC (group3), respectively. Among provided choices of potentially afflicted organs interviewees of group 3 associated the terms "CD" and "UC" with an intestinal disease in 86% each. Among those of group 2+3 the corresponding figures were 53% and 60% for CD and UC, respectively. Overall, 7% and 4% of the participants stated to be aware and/or informed on CD and UC and correctly associated these terms with an intestinal disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study on public awareness of the terms "Crohn's disease" and "ulcerative colitis". Poor knowledge in the public is reported which may vastly impact outcome and health economic consequences of IBD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University Vienna, A-1090, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Sieglinde
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angelberger
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vogelsang
authors.forename: Gottfried
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Novacek
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Miehsler
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dejaco
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gangl
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reinisch