Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common functional gastroenterological disorder reported to physicians. In Canada, its prevalence is about 6%. In the United States and the United Kingdom, the prevalence is estimated to be closer to 15%. Patients with IBS tend to make extensive use of health care services, even though a high percentage of them do not seek medical advice. The costs of IBS are a large expenditure of scarce resources. These costs can be divided into several categories: direct, indirect and intangible costs. The direct costs, associated with the diagnosis and treatment, are largely sustained by the health care system. The indirect costs are related to the production losses due to morbidity, and intangible costs are associated with the pain, suffering and alteration in the patient’s quality of life. The condition is a diagnosis of exclusion, and treatment, although beneficial, is rarely curative. The general treatment approach stresses the importance of a good physician-patient relationship. Exploring the nature of the expenses associated with IBS and understanding how treatment options may affect these costs are essential to reducing its financial burden.

Between Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The “No Man's Land” of Gluten Sensitivity

“…Other GI symptoms, such as bloating and distension, are also considered to be consistent with a diagnosis of FBDs such as IBS. With a prevalence of about 10% , IBS is one of the more common GI disorders in our society, imposing a very high economic burden in North America (8). …”

Health benefits of fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium bifidum YIT 10347 on gastric symptoms in adults

“…Despite the lack of structural anomalies, patients with FD may display upper abdominal pain, bloating, fullness, and tenderness on palpation (Talley et al, 2005;Saad and Chey, 2006;Tack et al, 2006), and patients with IBS may display lower abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating (Longstreth et al, 2006;Mayer, 2008). Functional dyspepsia and IBS are estimated to occur in about 15% (Saad and Chey, 2006) and 10 to 15% (Boivin, 2001;Quigley et al, 2006), respectively, of the general population in Western countries, and the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully clarified. Some associations between FD and Helicobacter pylori infection have been considered in the elderly in Western countries (Talley et al, 2005;Saad and Chey, 2006).…”

Risk of cancer in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a nationwide population-based study

“…Prevalence estimates for IBS vary widely among different geographic regions [2]. Epidemiological studies have revealed that the estimated lifetime prevalence rate for the IBS ranges from 6% to 46% worldwide [3][4][5]. In Taiwan, the prevalence rate is between 17.5% and 22.1%, and nearly 50% of the patients with IBS symptoms consult physicians [6].…”