Structured patient education is superior to written information in the management of patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Education and reassurance are proposed to be of great importance in the management of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but few trials supporting this are available. Our aim was to compare the effects of a structured patient group education (IBS school) versus receiving written information in the form of an IBS guidebook, on knowledge, symptoms, and quality of life in IBS patients. METHODS: Patients with IBS according to the Rome II criteria were randomized to participate in the group education or to receive the guidebook. The effects were evaluated by self-administered questionnaires at 3 and 6 months after baseline. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-three patients - 71 in the guidebook group and 72 in the IBS school group - completed the study. Compared with the guidebook group, the patients in the education group showed greater reduction in IBS symptom severity and gastrointestinal (GI)-specific anxiety, as well as greater improvement in perceived knowledge of IBS. Several aspects of health-related quality of life were significantly improved after the group education, but not in the group who received the written information. CONCLUSION: A structured patient group education is superior to written information to enhance knowledge of IBS, and improve GI symptoms and GI-specific anxiety in IBS patients.

Development of an educational intervention for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Many IBS patients experience that they receive limited information and that the health care system does not take their complaints seriously. We aimed to develop a structured patient education, an 'IBS school', and investigate if the efficacy could be evaluated in terms of improved knowledge, symptom severity and health related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS: The IBS school consisted of six weekly two hour sessions in a group setting. Five different health care professionals were responsible for one session each. Questionnaires covering patients' experience of the education, perceived knowledge about IBS, gastrointestinal symptoms, and HRQOL, were used for evaluation at baseline and at three, six, and twelve months after education. RESULTS: Twelve IBS patients were included. The patients were overall satisfied with the IBS school. In line with this, the gastrointestinal symptoms, HRQOL, and perceived knowledge about IBS improved significantly after the education. CONCLUSION: An IBS school seems to be a proper method to meet the patients' need of information about IBS and also to improve the patients' gastrointestinal symptoms, HRQOL, and knowledge about IBS. Further controlled studies are now needed in larger numbers of patients to confirm these preliminary results in order to implement this intervention in clinical practice.