title: Abdominal symptom-related QOL in individuals visiting an outpatient clinic and those attending an annual health check.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quality of life (QOL) impairment of patients who visit an outpatient clinic for abdominal symptoms has not been clarified. We investigated symptom-related QOL impairment that led patients to seek medical care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Abdominal symptom-related QOL was determined using the Izumo scale instrument in 172 patients who visited a clinic for their abdominal symptoms and in 961 healthy subjects who attended an annual health check.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QOL was more strongly impaired in the patients with abdominal symptoms than in subjects who attended health checks. Patients with heartburn consulted physicians even when QOL impairment was minimal, while those with epigastric fullness tended to consult a physician only when QOL impairment was significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal symptom-related QOL impairment is considered to lead patients to seek medical care, though different symptoms have varying levels of influence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Matsue Red Cross Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Erina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kakuta
authors.forename: Noritsugu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsube
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kushiyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suetsugu
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003248:Constipation; D003967:Diarrhea; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires