Barriers to Engagement with Gastrointestinal Health Management

Although behavioral interventions have been effective in gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, barriers exist in implementing these interventions into clinical practice. The majority of previously published studies have focused on workforce limitations and have not considered individual and social determinants of health (SDoH) factors that can impact engagement in GI behavioral healthcare.

To characterize barriers to engagement in appointment attendance and health management, explore individual and SDoH factors impacting GI behavioral healthcare engagement, and identify barriers that occur more often for patients with SDoH-related vulnerability (low health literacy and/or financial insecurity).

A survey was distributed to adult patients who had been seen in Gastroenterology at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center from June 2022 to December 2022.

One hundred participants [mean age = 58 years, 57.1% women] completed the survey. SDoH vulnerability was present in 32.3% of the population. For the entire sample, 73% reported at least one barrier to accessing care and 75% reported at least one factor which impacted health management. Those with SDoH vulnerability reported significantly more barriers to attending appointments and to managing health. In addition, they were significantly more likely to endorse physical health problems, difficulty affording medical bills, pain, mobility issues, trauma experiences, significant stress, and difficulty with concentration.

Patients in a GI clinic reported multiple barriers to accessing care and participating in health management. Innovative, multi-level strategies are needed to address barriers to ensure that all patients are able to obtain quality GI behavioral health services.