NEW YORK, Sep 27, 1999 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In the largest, most
comprehensive national survey ever on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),
nearly 40 percent of women with IBS reported experiencing abdominal
pain they described as intolerable without some kind of relief.
Moreover, regardless of the severity of their abdominal pain, most
women in the survey said that their symptoms forced them to miss days
from work, limit travel or avoid social outings. Yet, on average,
doctors who treat IBS rated the pain felt by their typical IBS patient
as being significantly less severe than patients reported.
Even further, a majority of doctors said that while IBS may be
distressing, it is not a serious medical condition. By contrast, the
survey showed that three out of ten women with IBS reported having been
hospitalized for their abdominal symptoms at some point and their
reported rate of abdominal or intestinal surgery (other than cesarean
section) is almost double that of non-sufferers.
These are just some of the disturbing findings from this landmark
survey, IBS in American Women. The survey, which focused on women as
they represent about 70 percent of the IBS patient population, was
comprised of in-depth telephone (random-digit dialing) interviews with
nearly 3,000 people -- including women with and without IBS,
physicians, pharmacists and nurses.
IBS is a chronic, sometimes debilitating condition marked by abdominal
pain and irregular bowel function that may affect as many as one in
five American adults.
"This survey raises a larger issue in women's health, as it illustrates
how women's knowledge of their symptoms and bodies often differs
dramatically from the knowledge and/or management by healthcare
practitioners," said Phyllis Greenberger, Executive Director, Society
for Women's Health Research. "It also reveals that some women may not
be getting the help that they need."
Everyday Life a Constant Struggle
"IBS affects every aspect of my daily life," said IBS sufferer Lillian
Figueroa, age 33. "I can't ride on a city bus or go to the park because
there is no bathroom. With the things that I can do, I constantly have
to make allowances like leaving extra time in case I experience an
episode."
Women with active IBS have three times as many sick days compared to
women in the general public, miss work or school twice as often, and
almost one in four must allow extra time for their daily commute due to
their abdominal symptoms. This workplace impact is a real issue because
nearly half of all sufferers surveyed were employed full-time.
Moreover, two out of three women with active IBS expressed concern
about and are forced to plan their schedules around the location of
restrooms.
Left to Manage Alone
Because the cause of IBS is poorly understood, it has often been
mislabeled and dismissed as something less than a real medical
condition. This confusion appears to have resulted in frustration and a
sense of hopelessness among women suffering from IBS. More than one in
four women with IBS said that their doctor does not understand how much
pain or discomfort they feel and that there is no point in consulting
their doctor about their symptoms. In fact, 31 percent of women with
IBS who have experienced continuous pain for over three months in the
past year said they have not seen their doctor in the last 12 months.
Misconceptions Among Some Physicians
IBS sufferers may be falling through the cracks of the healthcare
system, as some physicians surveyed who treat IBS still hold many
misconceptions about the condition. While nearly two-thirds of
physicians believe IBS is primarily a physical condition, nearly a
third of all physicians surveyed believe IBS is primarily a
psychological problem (33% of primary care physicians, 19% of GI
specialists).
"IBS is a real, chronic medical condition with painful and potentially
debilitating symptoms," said Lin Chang, MD, co-director of the
Neuroenteric Disease Program at the University of California at Los
Angles Medical School. "Research suggests that IBS stems from a
physiologic abnormality, and is clearly not a psychosomatic disorder."
Fifty-eight percent of physicians surveyed think IBS is easy to
diagnose. This perception is countered by patient experience, as women
with IBS see an average of three physicians over a three-year period
before they receive a clear-cut diagnosis. Although published
diagnostic guidelines do exist for IBS, almost 80 percent of physicians
surveyed said they don't follow them and less than a fifth said they
are even somewhat familiar with current guidelines.
Bridging the Gap Between Physicians and Patients
Where there does not seem to be disagreement among any of the groups
surveyed is on the overwhelming need for better management of IBS and
more education. Most women surveyed see physicians as a primary source
for health information, yet almost all doctors (87%) admitted that
physicians needed better education about IBS. And, despite its
prevalence, only one-third of women in the general public without IBS
have even heard of irritable bowel syndrome.
