ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The status and determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in female veterans with and without irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are unknown. AIM: To compare HRQOL in female veterans with and without IBS symptoms and examine the contribution of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety to HRQOL. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 339 female veterans. Self-report questionnaires were used to evaluate IBS symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and HRQOL. RESULTS: Symptoms consistent with IBS were present in 33.5% of participants. Female veterans with IBS symptoms had significant reductions in physical component score and 5 of 8 Health Related Quality of Life subscales and on 7 of 8 Irritable Bowel Syndrome Quality Of Life subscales than female veterans without IBS symptoms. Compared with the US general female population, female veterans had significantly lower Health Related Quality of Life physical component score and mental component scores (MCS) irrespective of IBS symptom status. Differences in the MCS score were most explained by depression, while those in the physical component score were most explained by anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in female veterans are associated with considerable reduction in HRQOL. However, female veterans, regardless of IBS symptom status, have lower HRQOL compared with the general US female population.
Subject(s)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Reference Values , Severity of Illness Index , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/complications , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , United States/epidemiology , VeteransABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The burden of functional GI disorders and their associations with psychological distress in women veterans is unclear. AIM: To examine 1-year prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia symptoms and their associations with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women veterans receiving primary care at a Veteran Affairs Medical Center Women's Clinic. METHODS: Irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia and psychological distress were assessed using the validated self-administered Bowel Disorder Questionnaire, the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, as well as the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire. RESULTS: We enrolled 248 women (84% participation rate). Ninety-three (38%) reported IBS and 51 (21%) dyspepsia symptoms. Women with IBS and dyspepsia reported higher mean scores of anxiety (IBS: 24 vs. 12, P < 0.0005 and dyspepsia: 26 vs. 12, P < 0.0005), depression (IBS: 22 vs. 11, P = 0.0005 and dyspepsia: 23 vs. 11, P < 0.0005) and PTSD (IBS: 87 vs. 69, P < 0.001 and dyspepsia: 86 vs. 69, P < 0.0005). Age- and ethnicity-adjusted logistic regression analyses showed a 3- to 46-fold increase in odds of IBS and dyspepsia among women with anxiety, depression or PTSD. CONCLUSION: Women veterans have high prevalence of IBS and dyspepsia symptoms, both of which are highly associated with presence of depression, anxiety and PTSD.
