Epidemiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in a Large Academic Safety-Net Hospital

(1) Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent disorder of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) that is known to reduce the quality of life and raise healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of IBS in a large multiracial academic safety-net hospital. (2) Methods: An electronic query was performed using ICD-9 codes to identify 740 IBS outpatients seen at the Boston Medical Center (BMC) between 1 January 2005 and 30 September 2007. Demographic data were collected from electronic medical records. Bivariate analyses using chi-square tests and ANOVA were used to calculate the significance of categorical and continuous dependent variables, respectively. (3) Results: Compared with the general BMC outpatient population, the IBS cohort consisted of significantly higher proportions of White and Asian patients and lower proportions of Black and Hispanic patients (p < 0.0001). White and Asian patients predominantly had private insurance, while Black and Hispanic patients mostly had government/state-funded or no insurance (p < 0.0001). The IBS subgroup frequencies were similar across racial groups; however, Hispanic patients had IBS with constipation (32%, p < 0.02) more often compared to non-Hispanic patients. (4) Conclusions: Significant differences were found across the racial groups studied in this large outpatient IBS cohort. These findings are likely attributed to racial and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare access and utilization.