Functional gastrointestinal disorders in adolescents and quality of school life

• Published in: Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology 2013-02, Vol.28 (2), p.285-290
• Main Authors: Sagawa, Toshihiko, Okamura, Shinichi, Kakizaki, Satoru, Zhang, Yajing, Morita, Kyoko, Mori, Masatomo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdominal Pain - epidemiology; Abdominal Pain - psychology; adolescence; Adolescent; Aerophagy - epidemiology; Aerophagy - psychology; Age Factors; Analysis of Variance; Child; Cost of Illness; Female; functional gastrointestinal disorder; Gastrointestinal Diseases - diagnosis; Gastrointestinal Diseases - epidemiology; Gastrointestinal Diseases - psychology; Humans; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - epidemiology; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - psychology; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Prevalence; Quality of Life; school life; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vomiting - epidemiology; Vomiting - psychology
• ISSN: 0815-9319; 1440-1746
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2012.07257.x

Background and Aim The prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) in adolescents and their relationship to quality of school life (QOSL) are not fully understood. This study investigated the relationship between FGID and QOSL. Methods Adolescents (10–17 years) were recruited from 40 schools. FGID diagnoses were based on the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms‐Rome III version (QPGS‐RIII). QOSL was evaluated by a questionnaire and calculated as the QOSL score. Results Five hundred and fifty‐two of the 3976 students (13.9%) met the FGID criteria for one or more diagnoses according to the QPGS‐RIII: 12.3% met the criteria for one, 1.5% for two or more. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was the most common diagnosis (5.9%) followed by functional abdominal pain (3.1%). The prevalence of FGID was significantly higher in the female students in comparison to male students (P