Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The Burden of IBS.
The burden of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is great on the sufferer but because of the high percentage of Irritable Bowel Syndrome globally, the health professionals and the Health Providers also carry the heavy burden of IBS.
In the UK, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the most common gastro-intestinal condition seen by GPs and specialists. Consultants see 1.1 million patients annually. The annual cost of Irritable Bowel Syndrome to the NHS is £45 million.
Here are some statistics on Irritable Bowel Syndrome from the American Journal of Managed Care from an article written by Cash, Sullivan & Barholt.
Even though Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects millions, only 25% of Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers seek medical treatment
In a Real World Survey, 42% of Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients had symptoms for 10 years before seeking medical treatment.
Given that there is no cure and the high prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the potential for financial burden is great.
A survey of 5430 persons in USA found that Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients miss an average 13.4 days of work or school a year compared with 4.9 for others without Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Direct cost of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (physicians visit, hospital care, tests etc) is estimated at $10 billion. The indirect cost (lost productivity) of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is estimated at $20 billion. In view of the amount of Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients who seek help or admit to their illness, the indirect cost of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is likely to be significantly higher.
Cost of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is greater than Asthma and migraine and cost of IBS compares well with hypertension and heart failure.
According to the American Gastroenterology Association, patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome made 3.65 million visits to physicians.
A survey of 657 members of the Intestinal Disease Foundation found that Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients spend on average $288 on over the counter and alternative treatments in the three months before the IBS survey.
In 1992, Irritable Bowel Syndrome was the second leading cause behind the common cold for absenteeism at work.
The burden of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is enormous for the sufferers, the health service and industry. And Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition that no one knows the true cause and what cures it. The only thing the medical profession is certain about is that Irritable Bowel Syndrome does not directly cause any long term harm or lead to any serious illness.
Dr.Phil Hariram
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Guide.
Healingibs.com
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