Health Union released its IBS in America 2018 survey, highlighting the effects of irritable bowel syndrome according to 1,584 people who have the disease.
Here are seven insights into IBS.
1. Ninety-five percent of people with IBS also have other health complications. Those complications include hemorrhoids (55 percent), gastroesophageal reflux disorder (47 percent), anal fissures (20 percent), malnutrition (17 percent) and anemia (14 percent).
2. Thirty-nine percent of respondents were employed, with 27 percent working full time. A respondent said, "[They] can’t travel or commit to any kind of job or volunteer work because of the IBS."
3. Sixty-six percent of IBS patients said stress was the biggest trigger of their IBS, followed by anxiety (60 percent) and food-related triggers (unspecified).
4. Seventy-nine percent of IBS patients experienced symptoms weekly, while 40 percent experienced symptoms daily.
5. IBS patients suffered from a variety of other conditions including anxiety (45 percent), hypertension (38 percent), arthritis (37 percent), high cholesterol (35 percent) and obesity (35 percent).
6. Over 50 percent of IBS sufferers are diagnosed 10-plus years after symptom onset.
7. Only 6 percent feel their treatment plans control their IBS.