The patient's perspective of irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE We wanted to understand how irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affect s patients' lives and their interactions with physicians and the health car e system. STUDY DESIGN A qualitative study was performed using focus groups of people with physician-diagnosed IBS. Immersion/crystallization was used to identi fy overriding themes. POPULATION We included adult volunteers with a previous physician diagnosis of IBS. OUTCOMES MEASURED The outcomes were patient-reported symptoms, episodes tri ggers, treatments, lifestyle changes, and interactions with their physician s that were related to IBS, and over riding themes identified from the focu s groups. RESULTS The subjects described IBS as a chronic episodic illness that affec ts their daily lives. Interaction with the medical community seldom clarifi ed understanding of the condition or improved its management. Three overrid ing themes emerged from the groups: a sense of frustration, a sense of isol ation, and a search for a niche in the health/sick role continuum. Frustrat ion was evident in the perceived inability to control symptoms, prevent epi sodes, identify episode triggers, and obtain medical validation of the cond ition. The constant anticipation of the next IBS episode, the need for imme diate access to toilet facilities, and the nature of the bowel symptoms oft en required withdrawal from social activities and resultant isolation. CONCLUSIONS IBS is perceived as a chronic condition resulting in frustratio n and social isolation, and physicians are perceived to be providing inadeq uate medical information or support to patients with IBS.