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Outpatient health care utilization of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

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Abstract

On the basis of the normal life expectancy of inflammatory bowel disease patients, the early onset of their disease, and the variety of symptoms, inflammatory bowel disease patients were anticipated to be frequent users of outpatients services. This study assesses (1) the characteristics, (2) outpatient health care utilization, and (3) the degree of satisfaction with health care of inflammatory bowel disease patients compared to patients with other gastrointestinal disease. The study method was a secondary analysis of data collected on 395 patients attending the University of Calgary Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic in 1988. Inflammatory bowel disease patients were significantly younger (P < 0.001) and better educated (P < 0.05) than other patients. During the past year inflammatory bowel disease patients consulted significantly more often with their gastroenterologist (P < 0.001) and spent more time in hospital (P < 0.05) than other patients. Inflammatory bowel disease patients also consulted more frequently with herbalists and naturopaths. Lastly, inflammatory bowel disease patients were as satisfied with the health care they received as other patients. These results provide information useful for health care planners as well as for those dealing directly with inflammatory bowel disease patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health Sciences, and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada

    Marja J. Verhoef MSc & Lloyd R. Sutherland MD

Authors
  1. Marja J. Verhoef MSc
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  2. Lloyd R. Sutherland MD
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Verhoef, M.J., Sutherland, L.R. Outpatient health care utilization of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Digest Dis Sci 35, 1276–1280 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536419

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536419

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