Q&A: Survey results highlight need for awareness, open communication about IBS
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More than half of the respondents in Salix Pharmaceutical’s annual patient perspective survey reported waiting at least a year before mentioning their irritable bowel syndrome symptoms to a health care provider.
According to a company press release, 43% of respondents were unaware that IBS is a chronic condition, 43% assumed their symptoms would resolve with dietary modification and 39% thought they would get resolution with over-the-counter medications.
“The findings from this year’s survey demonstrate the need for continued awareness and education about the multiple symptoms associated with IBS and chronic idiopathic constipation, which are chronic conditions that have prescription treatment options available,” Nicola Kayel, vice president of GI marketing at Salix Pharmaceuticals, said in the release. “It also underscores the need for a more proactive HCP-patient dialogue around IBS symptoms.”
Additional key findings from this year’s survey include 32% of patients felt awkward talking about their symptoms with their doctor and 23% were unaware that there were prescription treatment options available to address their symptoms. Notably, 86% reported they wanted their health care provider to “proactively ask them” about symptom relief during follow-up appointments.
To learn more about the results from this patient perspective survey and identify how it might inform patient care going forward, Kayel spoke with Healio in an interview exclusive.
Why did your team undertake this effort?
Kayel: In partnership with Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll, Salix Pharmaceuticals sponsored a survey of more than 700 adults living with IBS or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in the United States to better understand their symptoms, behaviors and experiences in order to gain insights that can be applied to the work we do in the GI space, which ultimately helps better serve these patient populations.
How was the survey designed?
Kayel: An online survey was conducted in January 2023 by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s FDU Poll, with data from a nonprobability online sample of U.S. residents and participants who were recruited based on previously reported GI issues.
The overall sample size included 724 respondents, who were screened to include only those who self-reported having IBS with constipation, CIC or IBS with diarrhea. However, due to the limitations of this survey, results may not be representative of the general IBS or CIC population.
What were the key takeaways?
Kayel: The most interesting insights we were able to glean from this year’s survey include that more than half (54%) of survey respondents waited for 1 year or more before mentioning their IBS symptoms to their HCP. Moreover, one of the key reasons that survey respondents waited to see their HCP was because they were not aware their IBS symptoms may be due to a chronic condition.
We also found that, once diagnosed with IBS, seven out of 10 respondents reported they were not initially offered a prescription, and more than a quarter of respondents reported it took more than 3 years to be prescribed a medication or they had not been prescribed one at all.
Another key takeaway from this year’s survey is that 86% of adult patients reported that they want their HCP to proactively ask them if all of their symptoms have been relieved during their follow-up appointments. On top of that, nine out of 10 of the survey respondents reported that it is important or very important for their HCPs to take time during their follow-up appointments to ask if they have any additional symptoms, have an understanding of all their symptoms and how their symptoms affect their daily living.
How do these results build upon results from last year’s survey?
Kayel: Although we cannot compare this year’s survey to last year’s survey, we continue to uncover understandings of the current treatment landscape around these complex conditions from a patient perspective.
The insights that this report provides are essential to Salix in regard to how we can help better improve the outcomes for adults living with IBS and CIC in the United States.
How might these results inform patient care going forward?
Kayel: Salix will utilize these findings to ensure we are meeting our unwavering commitment to serve patients, foster meaningful relationships with HCPs and support them in better understanding their patients’ needs.
The goal of improving the dynamics of HCP-patient interactions is to ensure that patients feel comfortable and empowered to speak with their doctors about their conditions so that they may better manage their symptoms.
How can providers better assist patients to feel comfortable talking about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options?
Kayel: With more than half of the survey respondents waiting 1 year or more before mentioning their IBS symptoms to their HCP, it is important to note that time matters for people to start having conversations with their HCPs about the symptoms they are experiencing.
The survey shows that respondents waited to see their HCP because they were not aware their conditions may be due to a chronic condition, thought their symptoms would resolve in diet modification, tried an over-the-counter prescription that did not alleviate all their symptoms, and felt awkward talking about their symptoms. By sharing these key findings, we hope it will make other people feel more comfortable in talking to their HCPs about their symptoms.
While I am not a health care provider and cannot speak to clinical protocols, it is interesting to note that one out of five of the IBS/CIC-diagnosed survey respondents reported they were not aware that there were prescription options available to address their IBS symptoms. We hope that this finding will help empower patients to speak to their HCPs about treatment options.
What additional research in this area is needed?
Kayel: The findings from this year’s survey demonstrate the need for continued awareness and education about the multiple symptoms associated with IBS and CIC, which are chronic conditions. With IBS affecting between 25 million and 45 million people in the United States, Salix remains steadfast in its commitment to improving the lives of patients by applying the insights we secure through research such as this survey, as well as ongoing research at the clinical level.
Reference:
- New research: More than half of IBS patients surveyed report waiting more than one year before discussing IBS symptoms with their healthcare provider. https://www.accesswire.com/747419/New-Research-More-Than-Half-of-IBS-Patients-Surveyed-Report-Waiting-More-Than-One-Year-Before-Discussing-IBS-Symptoms-With-Their-Healthcare-Provider. Published April 4, 2023. Accessed April 19, 2023.
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