Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada

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 healt...

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Main Author: Michel Boivin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2001-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/401309
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author Michel Boivin
author_facet Michel Boivin
author_sort Michel Boivin
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj-art-1d0b9d5357424708810670b83596721b2025-02-03T05:44:30ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Gastroenterology0835-79002001-01-0115Suppl B8B11B10.1155/2001/401309Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in CanadaMichel Boivin0Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Hôpital St-Luc, Montréal, Québec, CanadaIrritable 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.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/401309
spellingShingle Michel Boivin
Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada
Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology
title Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada
title_full Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada
title_fullStr Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada
title_full_unstemmed Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada
title_short Socioeconomic Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Canada
title_sort socioeconomic impact of irritable bowel syndrome in canada
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/401309
work_keys_str_mv AT michelboivin socioeconomicimpactofirritablebowelsyndromeincanada