# What Patients Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome (ibs) And What They Would Like To Know.



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

1: Am J Gastroenterol. 2007 May 3; [Epub ahead of print]What Patients Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and What They Would Like to Know. National Survey on Patient Educational Needs in IBS and Development and Validation of the Patient Educational Needs Questionnaire (PEQ).Halpert A, Dalton CB, Palsson O, Morris C, Hu Y, Bangdiwala S, Hankins J, Norton N, Drossman D. Center for Digestive Disorders, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Patient education improves clinical outcomes in patients with chronic illness, but little is known about the education needs of patients with IBS. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify: (1) patients perceptions about IBS; (2) the content areas where patients feel insufficiently informed, i.e., "knowledge gaps" about diagnosis, treatment options, etiology, triggers, prognosis, and role of stress; and (3) whether there are differences related to items 1 and 2 among clinically significant subgroups. METHODS: The IBS-Patient Education Questionnaire (IBS-PEQ) was developed using patient focus groups and cognitive item reduction of items. The IBS-PEQ was administered to a national sample of IBS patients via mail and online. ANALYSIS: Frequencies of item endorsements were obtained. Clinically relevant groups, (a) health care seekers or nonhealth care seekers and (







users or nonusers of the Web, were identified and grouped as MD/Web, MD/non-Web, and non-MD/Web. RESULTS: 1,242 patients completed the survey (371 via mail and 871 online), mean age was 39.3 +/- 12.5 yr, educational attainment 15 +/- 2.6 yr, 85% female, IBS duration 6.9 +/- 4.2 yr, 79% have seen an MD for IBS in the last 6 months, and 92.6% have used the Web for health information. The most prevalent IBS misconceptions included (% of subjects agreeing with the statement): IBS is caused by lack of digestive enzymes (52%), is a form of colitis (42.8%), will worsen with age (47.9%), and can develop into colitis (43%) or malnutrition (37.7%) or cancer (21.4%). IBS patients were interested in learning about (% of subjects choosing an item): (1) foods to avoid (63.3%), (2) causes of IBS (62%), (3) coping strategies (59.4%), (4) medications (55.2%), (5) will they have to live with IBS for life (51.6%), and (6) research studies (48.6%). Patients using the Web were better informed about IBS. CONCLUSION: (1) Many patients hold misconceptions about IBS being caused by dietary habits, developing into cancer, colitis, causing malnutrition, or worsening with age; (2) patients most often seek information about dietary changes; and (3) educational needs may be different for persons using the internet for medical information.PMID: 17488254


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

This is another one Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Jun 1;25(11):1329-41.Irritable bowel syndrome: patients' attitudes, concerns and level of knowledge.Lacy BE, Weiser K, Noddin L, Robertson DJ, Crowell MD, Parratt-Engstrom C, Grau MV. Section of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, chronic disorder that reduces patients' quality-of-life. Although highly prevalent, little is known about patients' understanding of this disorder. Aim To evaluate the knowledge, fears and concerns of IBS patients. Methods Seven hundred thirty-six IBS patients (Rome II criteria) were eligible for inclusion in this prospective study. Each patient received a validated questionnaire to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and fears regarding IBS. Results A total of 261 of 664 potential respondents completed the questionnaire (39.3%). 83% of respondents were women, with a mean age of 53.7 years, and mean duration of symptoms of 14.2 years. Patients frequently believed that IBS develops because of anxiety (80.5%), dietary factors (75.1%) and depression (63.2%). Few respondents (28.7%) recognized that abdominal pain is the cardinal symptom of IBS, and 40.6% stated that colonoscopy can diagnose IBS. One in seven patients stated that IBS turns into cancer, and 29.9% noted that IBS increases the risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusions Many IBS patients have significant misconceptions regarding the nature of their disease and its prognosis. An overwhelming majority of IBS patients believe that anxiety, dietary factors and depression cause IBS. These findings are discordant with physicians' views and practices and highlight the need for patient-oriented educational programs.PMID: 17509101


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