Time Trends in Healthcare Utilization Due to Self-Reported Functional Diseases of the Stomach

Cohort studies from referral centers suggest an increasing burden of functional gastric disorders, with frequent emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations, or absenteeism. We hypothesized that recruitment from tertiary care sites skews results and thus investigated the burden of these illnesses, using the population-based data of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

Using MEPS data for the years 2000-2015, demographic, economic, healthcare-related, and quality-of-life indicators were extracted for adults reporting the diagnosis of functional gastric diseases to assess trends and to compare results with data from all adults surveyed.

Between 2000 and 2015, 2.7 ± 0.2% of the adults surveyed reported a functional gastric illness. Within the period studied, 28.8 ± 2.8% and 17.9 ± 1.6% of this cohort reported ER visits or hospitalizations, respectively. Only a fraction of these persons attributed the ER visits (22.6 ± 0.9%) or admissions (10.9 ± 0.8%) to the functional gastric disorder. Rates remained stable rates during the period studied. Female sex, measures of physical function, comorbidities, and an income below the poverty line were predictors of healthcare utilization. While utilization was stable over time, annual costs increased by 113.9 ± 16.6% during the study period, outpacing the inflation rate of 37.6%.

Persons with functional gastric disorders have significant healthcare needs and face increasing costs of care, largely due to coexisting illnesses. While it is important to recognize this impact, the need for emergency care or hospitalizations remained stable and lower than reported for patients seen in tertiary referral centers, providing reassuring information for patients and providers.