NEW YORK, Jun 23 (Reuters Health) - For women with gastrointestinal
disorders ranging from chronic stomach pain to liver disease, emotional
well-being may play an important role in whether their physical symptoms worsen
or improve, research suggests.
In a study of 174 women with gastrointestinal problems, researchers found
poorer health among those who were pessimistic or depressed, or who felt they
had little control over their symptoms. Women with a history of sexual abuse
also suffered worse symptoms.
A research team led by Dr. Douglas A. Drossman reports these findings in the
May/June issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.
In their study, the researchers looked at how the women dealt with their
physical illness to see whether certain coping strategies affected their health.
The women in the study had a variety of problems, including irritable bowel
syndrome, constipation, stomach upset, chest and abdominal pain, liver disease,
ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
They found that women who tended to "catastrophize"--those who agreed with
statements like "I feel it's never going to get any better"--were likely to
suffer worsening symptoms over the year-long study.
The same was true of women who felt they had little control over their
symptoms or had suffered sexual abuse at some point in their lives. The two are
linked, according to Drossman, because victims of sexual abuse often feel they
have little power to make positive changes.
Drossman told Reuters Health that it is unclear whether poorer health before
the study triggered the women's negative outlook. What's important, he said, is
that negative coping strategies predicted whether women would have worse
outcomes.
According to Drossman, women who deal negatively with their gastrointestinal
disorders may need cognitive-behavioral treatment. This type of treatment aims
to improve the way patients feel about their physical health through group
therapy, exercise, and other activities.
