Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in Korea: population-based survey using the Rome II criteria

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder in the West. But information on the prevalence of IBS in Asia is still lacking, especially in Korea. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to estimate the prevalence of IBS in the general population of Korea and also to investigate characteristics of IBS and health-care-seeking behavior of IBS patients.

Telephone interview survey was conducted by Gallup, Korea using a validated questionnaire based on the Rome II criteria. The response rate of the telephone interview survey was 25.2% (n = 1066, 535 male and 531 female responders). A random sample of gender and age (between 18 and 60 years), based on a per capita ratio was obtained.

Among 1066 subjects, the prevalence of IBS was 6.6% (70 subjects; 7.1%, male; 6.0%, female). The difference in IBS prevalence by gender was not significant. The prevalence was higher among those in their 20s (P = 0.036). Among 70 subjects with IBS, 10/20 IBS subjects sought health care due to abdominal pain. Among the risk factors of IBS, marital status had a significant difference; the following risk factors are arranged in descending order: age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-2.25), alcohol intake (OR: 1.38, 95%CI: 0.81-2.35), gender (OR: 1.19, 95%CI: 0.73-1.94), demographics (OR: 1.09, 95%CI: 0.53-2.25), income (OR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.54-1.45), education level (OR: 0.81, 95%CI: 0.46-1.40), smoking (OR: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.37-1.12), and marital status (OR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.35-0.99).

The prevalence of IBS in the Korean population is 6.6%, and the male:female ratio is similar. Also, IBS is more frequent in younger subjects. Irritable bowel syndrome subjects visited a physician mostly due to abdominal pain.