Profile of Surgeons Who Treat Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Brazil

Abstract

Objective To describe the profile of surgeons who treat patients with inflammatory bowel disease as well as the characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease care, unmet demands, and difficulties. Methods The research participants answered a Google Forms questionnaire. Results Of the 99 surgeons who participated in the survey, 84.5% were coloproctologists, 40% were from the southeastern region of Brazil, and 77.7% were male and had been working for more than 19 years. Regarding the healthcare sector, 63.6% of surgeons worked in both public and private clinics, and most clinically cared for up to 50 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and operated on up to 5 cases per year. Conclusion This is the first national study that aimed to identify the profile of surgeons working with inflammatory bowel disease in Brazil. The vast majority are experienced male coloproctologists, located in the southern and southeastern regions, who perform clinical and surgical treatment of these pathologies, with major surgeries being performed in large centers by a small number of surgeons.