Irritable bowel syndrome: physicians' awareness and patients' experience.

To access publisher's full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field. To study if and how physicians use the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnostic criteria and to assess treatment strategies in IBS patients. A questionnaire was sent to 191 physici...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:World Journal of Gastroenterology
Main Authors: Olafsdottir, Linda Bjork, Gudjonsson, Hallgrímur, Jonsdottir, Heidur Hrund, Jonsson, Jon Steinar, Bjornsson, Einar, Thjodleifsson, Bjarni
Other Authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Landspitali, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Hringbraut, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Attitude to Health
Gastroenterology
Guidelines as Topic
Health Knowledge
Attitudes
Practice
Humans
Iceland
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Middle Aged
Patient Education as Topic
Patient Satisfaction
Physicians
Questionnaires
Referral and Consultation
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2336/301119
https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v18.i28.3715
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Summary:To access publisher's full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field. To study if and how physicians use the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnostic criteria and to assess treatment strategies in IBS patients. A questionnaire was sent to 191 physicians regarding IBS criteria, diagnostic methods and treatment. Furthermore, 94 patients who were diagnosed with IBS underwent telephone interview. A total of 80/191 (41.9%) physicians responded to the survey. Overall, 13 patients were diagnosed monthly with IBS by specialists in gastroenterology (SGs) and 2.5 patients by general practitioners (GPs). All the SGs knew of the criteria to diagnose IBS, as did 46/70 (65.7%) GPs. Seventy-nine percent used the patient's history, 38% used a physical examination, and 38% exclusion of other diseases to diagnose IBS. Only 18/80 (22.5%) physicians used specific IBS criteria. Of the patients interviewed, 59/94 (62.8%) knew they had experienced IBS. Two out of five patients knew IBS and had seen a physician because of IBS symptoms. Half of those received a diagnosis of IBS. A total of 13% were satisfied with treatment. IBS affected daily activities in 43% of cases. Half of the patients with IBS who consulted a physician received a diagnosis. Awareness and knowledge of diagnostic criteria for IBS differ between SGs and GPs. National Hospital of Iceland Wyeth, Iceland Actavis, Iceland AstraZeneca, Iceland GlaxoSmith-Kline, Iceland Icelandic College of Family Physicians

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