Economic burden attributable to functional bowel disorders in Iran: a cross-sectional population-based study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Health Economics
• Public Health

Background:

• Functional bowel disorders (FBD) represent a significant global health concern.
• Limited data exists on the economic impact of FBD in developing nations, particularly Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the direct and indirect economic costs associated with five distinct functional bowel disorder patient groups in Iran.
• Specifically examining irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation (FC), unspecified-FBD (U-FBD), functional abdominal bloating (FAB), and functional diarrhea (FD).

Main Methods:

• A large-scale, population-based study involving 18,180 adults in Tehran, Iran (2006-2007).
• Utilized Rome III criteria-based questionnaires to identify FBD patients and assess 6-month medical expenses and productivity losses.
• Costs were standardized to Purchasing Power Parity (PPP$) for international comparison.

Main Results:

• Mean 6-month total costs per patient varied significantly: IBS (160 PPP$), FC (147 PPP$), U-FBD (103 PPP$), FAB (96 PPP$), and FD (42 PPP$).
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients incurred the highest costs, including drug consumption and the longest absence from work (2.26 days).
• Doctor visits and hospitalizations constituted the largest components of direct costs, with IBS exhibiting substantial indirect costs.

Conclusions:

• Functional bowel disorders (FBD) present a moderate to high economic burden in Iran.
• The high prevalence and impact on quality of life, productivity, and resource utilization place a considerable financial strain on the Iranian healthcare system.