Medically reviewed by Onikepe Adegbola, MD, PhD
The majority of IBS sufferers polled believe that managing their symptoms has gotten more difficult in the last year.
Bausch Health Company Inc. and Salix Pharmaceuticals have published report findings that may help improve IBS patients.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) mainly affects your large intestine. You may experience cramps, stomach pain, bloating, gas, or both diarrhea and constipation. Like most chronic conditions, IBS needs long-term disease management. As one of the world’s largest specialty pharmaceutical companies, Bausch Health Company Inc.
(Bausch Health) and Salix Pharmaceuticals (Salix) make major contributions to gastrointestinal illness and disorder prevention and treatment. The findings of the second edition of their Patient Perspectives Survey were announced. Adults with chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) or irritable bowel syndrome were enrolled in this study (IBS).
How Did They Conduct The Survey?
Fairleigh Dickinson University’s FDU Poll surveyed non-probability online samples of U.S. residents in February 2022. The sample was drawn from people who had previously reported gastrointestinal issues. Only those who self-reported constipation, chronic constipation, or diarrhea were included in the sample of 728 people who took part in the study. For the study, a panel of U.S. citizens was chosen, and respondents were given $5.00 for their time.
Because of the survey’s limitations, the results may not be typical of the broader community of persons with IBS or CIC.
What Does The Report Include?
The report explores the behaviors of patients suffering from IBS and CIC over the past year from Feb 2021 to Feb 2022. It includes insights on diagnosis and symptom management. Almost half of the respondents (49%) said their IBS symptoms had become more difficult to control in the previous year. The COVID-19 pandemic might be a crucial factor in the difficult IBS treatment. According to researchers, the pandemic harmed the whole healthcare system and impacted the lives of those with chronic illnesses.
Furthermore, the paper covers symptom management and reporting inadequacies, as well as treatment impediments. They examined the Patient-provider communications in the survey.
Both the industries aim to provide patients and healthcare providers with valuable information sources and address the needs of the entire IBS and CIC community.
New Findings In The Report
The report mentions that the majority of patients reported experiencing symptoms of IBS or CIC within the past 24 months. According to the survey, more than three out of four patients have experienced no improvement or worsening of several symptoms of IBS or CIC over the last 12 months (between 77% and 81%).
It reveals that nearly 90% of patients diagnosed with IBS or CIC by their health care provider were initially diagnosed during an in-person visit while the majority of patients prefer to communicate with the health care provider in person.
Furthermore, nearly 40% of patients stated that they only reported their major IBS or CIC-related symptoms to their doctor, rather than all of their symptoms.
Finally, when IBS or CIC was identified, over one-third of patients were not provided a prescription drug to address their symptoms.
Key Takeaway
To help improve clinical outcomes, this year’s report highlights the need for more meaningful provider visits. This report will help in smooth communication in the future. However, the data are not precise due to the survey limitations. The report’s findings are influenced by the pandemic and collapsed healthcare system. A detailed survey should be carried out next year for a better understanding.
Reference:
MultiVu. (n.d.). Half of IBS patients surveyed report IBS symptoms more challenging to manage in the past year. MultiVu. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9017851-salix-pharmaceuticals-survey-living-with-ibs-now/
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