EFFECTS OF AN IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME EDUCATIONAL CLASS ON HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS AND SYMPTOMS

Objective: The degree to which patient education in the areas of diet, exercise, and stress management can improve symptoms of irritable bow el syndrome (IBS) through healthier lifestyle behaviors is unknown. Th e aim of this study was to determine the effects of outpatient educati on on the short and long term outcomes, and the association between he alth-promoting behaviors and symptoms. Methods: Fender's Health Promot ion Model provided the theoretical framework. The study had a prospect ive longitudinal design. A consecutive sample of 52 adult outpatients with IBS attended a structured class that taught health-promoting modi fications of lifestyle. Participants completed the Health-Promoting Li festyle Profile (HPLP) and selected items from a Bowel Disease Questio nnaire (BDQ) before the class and 1 month and 6 months later. Spearman rank correlations were used to assess the association between HPLP an d symptom scores. Wilcoxon rank sum tests compared changes in scores v ersus their baseline values. Results: Response rates at 1 and 6 months were 75% and 83%, respectively. Results revealed significant 1- and 6 month-improvements in pain and Manning symptoms (p < 0.01) and in som e HPLP scores (exercise at 1 month, p < 0.05; stress management at 6 m onths, p < 0.01). Significant associations were found between some, bu t not all, HPLP and symptom scores over time. Conclusion: A structured IBS educational class for patients with IBS improved symptoms and som e health-promoting behaviors. However, relationships among specific be haviors and specific symptoms did not consistently correspond,vith thi s improvement. (C) 1998 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology.