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Educational Needs: Many Gaps
A survey by O’Sullivan and colleagues explored the educational needs of patients with irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS). The survey recruited 212 patients referred to a gastroenterology
outpatient clinic in Ireland. Seventy respondents had a clinically confirmed diagnosis of IBS;
59 patients (84%) were women. The remainder of the patients had ulcerative colitis or
Crohn’s disease.53
Survey results revealed that the majority of IBS patients (77%) felt inadequately educated
about many aspects of IBS. Their primary concerns included the connection between IBS
and cancer or other threatening diseases, the effect of dietary habits on IBS symptoms (eg,
the role of fiber in aggravating symptoms), and the cause and prognosis of IBS.53 These
results reinforce the strong need to educate physicians and patients that IBS is caused by a
true physiologic dysfunction and is a medical disorder.
Investigators also found that poorly informed IBS patients required longer consultations
than those who were well informed about IBS. Therefore, it was suggested that patients
who lack disease knowledge are more likely to seek follow-up consultations with physicians
than those who feel comfortable with the information they receive. Thus, enhancing patient
education efforts may have a positive effect on decreasing the current economic burden of
IBS.53 Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses can often play an integral role in
achieving this goal.
Several investigators have noted the great need for a strong physician–patient relationship.
In one United Kingdom-based study, more than 80% of patients with IBS accessed their
information from sources outside of the physician’s office including family, friends, and
women’s journals. Because opinions and perceptions about IBS may differ depending on the
source, patients are likely to feel confused and frustrated.54
It is important to note, however, that these data are from countries in which the standards
for patient education are different from those in the United States and, therefore, may not
represent the United States in general. Hence, further research into the educational needs
of IBS patients in the United States is warranted.
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