title: Burden of acute gastroenteritis and healthcare-seeking behaviour in France: a population-based study.
abstract: In France surveillance underestimates the true burden of acute gastroenteritis (AG). We conducted a population-based, retrospective cross-sectional telephone survey between May 2009 and April 2010 in order to obtain more accurate estimates of the incidence and the burden of AG and to describe healthcare-seeking behaviour for AG. Of the 10 080 persons included in the survey, 260 respondents reported 263 episodes of AG. The incidence rate of AG was estimated at 0·33 cases/person-year (95% CI 0·28-0·37). It was highest in children aged <5 years and declined with age. Thirty-three percent (95% CI 27-40) of the AG cases consulted a physician and 76% (95% CI 70-82) used medication. Our results indicate that there are more than 21 million episodes of AG each year in France. These results allow a more accurate interpretation of the data derived from existing AG surveillance systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Institut de Veille Sanitaire (French Institute for Public Health Surveillance), Saint-Maurice, France. d.vancauteren@invs.sante.fr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Cauteren
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Valk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaux
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Strat
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vaillant
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult