PREDICTORS OF HEALTH-CARE SEEKING FOR IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME - A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Background-It has been suggested that psychological factors rather tha n symptoms drive subjects with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to seek medical care, but this issue has not been tackled in a population base d study. Aim-To identify whether psychological factors or abuse explai n health care seeking for IBS. Methods-A sample of residents of Penrit h (a Sydney suburb representative of the Australian population) select ed randomly from the electoral rolls (that by law include the entire p opulation greater than or equal to 18 years) was mailed a validated se lf-report questionnaire, Measured were gastrointestinal symptoms inclu ding the Manning (and Rome) criteria for IBS, health care seeking, neu roticism (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire), psychological morbidity (General Health Questionnaire: GHQ) and sexual, physical and emotional abuse (including the standardised Drossman questions).