title: Perceptions of gastroenterologists and nurses regarding irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have similar symptoms, and both adversely affect patients' quality of life. The objective of this study was to compare the perceptions of physicians and nurses regarding IBS and IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Illness Perception Questionnaire Revised, adapted for medical staff, was sent at random to 300 physicians and nurses of gastroenterology departments and outpatient clinics nationwide to assess perceptions of IBS or IBD. Responses were statistically analyzed by illness and professional group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five physicians and 43 nurses returned the questionnaire (response rate, 32.6%). Fifty-two questionnaires pertained to IBS and 46 to IBD. More physicians than nurses stated that the course of both illnesses does not improve over time (P<0.05). Both groups showed that medical treatment is of greater benefit for IBD than IBS (P<0.05) and that patients with IBD better understand their illness than patients with IBS (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians and nurses hold different attitudes to and perceptions of IBD and IBS in terms of chronicity, severity of the consequences, treatment efficacy, personal control, and illness coherence. These differences may have important effects on the patient-health provider relationship and should be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. dickmanr@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Ram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dickman
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segev
authors.forename: Sigal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reicher-Atir
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
authors.forename: Nechama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horev
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niv
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics; D016896:Treatment Outcome