Recurrent abdominal pain and consulting behaviour among children in a rural community in Malaysia

Aim. To look at predictors of consulting behaviour among children with recu rrent abdominal pain in a rural community in Malaysia. Subjects and methods. A sample of 1462 school-children aged between 9 and 1 5 years were randomly selected from all schools in Kuala Langat, a rural di strict in Malaysia. Those with recurrent abdominal pain, defined according to Apley's criteria, were recruited and divided into consulters and non-con sulters. A consulter was defined as a child who had sought the help of a me dical practitioner at least once in the past year for recurrent abdominal p ain. A detailed clinical, social and family history was obtained in all rec ruited children. Results. A total of 161 children were recruited: 78 (48.4%) consulters, 83 (51.6%) non-consulters. Of the consulters, 40 were boys, 38 were girls (mal e:female ratio = 1.1:1). The two sexes did not show a significant differenc e in prevalence of consulters (p=0.189). Of the ethnic groups, only Indians had a significantly higher likelihood to consult a doctor (Indians, p=0.00 6; Malays, p=0.742; Chinese, p=0.050). Younger children (under 12 years) ha d a significantly higher chance of having been brought to see a medical pra ctitioner (p=0.014). Children in whom age of onset of abdominal pain was be low ten years were also more likely to have been seen by a doctor (p=0.012) . Children who had consulted a doctor were more likely to be missing school because of abdominal pain (p<0.001). Pain severity was not a significant f actor (p=0.429). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the on ly variable that remained significantly associated with health-care consult ation was school absence (p=0.001). Conclusions. Children who saw their doctors for recurrent abdominal pain we re also more likely to be those who missed school on account of abdominal p ain. Following multiple regression analysis, other factors were no longer s ignificant.