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Abdominal pain in an HMO
A M Adelman1, D A Revicki, J Magaziner
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Milton Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, USA.
Family Medicine
|May 1, 1995
Summary
Abdominal pain affects 27% of adults, with women and younger individuals reporting it more often. While older adults experience pain less frequently, they are more likely to seek medical attention for it.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Previous surveys indicate 14%-25% of the population experiences abdominal pain.
- Limited research exists on age-gender specific prevalence and self-reported causes of abdominal pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiology of abdominal pain within a large health maintenance organization (HMO).
- To examine the prevalence and healthcare-seeking behaviors associated with abdominal pain.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey was conducted with 6,199 randomly selected HMO members.
- Participants were interviewed about the occurrence of abdominal pain and related healthcare utilization in the past year.
Main Results:
- 27% of surveyed individuals reported experiencing abdominal pain in the past year.
- 38% of those with pain sought physician care; women were more likely than men to report pain and seek care.
- Older individuals reported less frequent pain but sought medical care more often when pain occurred.
Conclusions:
- Abdominal pain prevalence is higher in women and younger individuals.
- Women and older individuals demonstrate a greater likelihood of seeking medical care for abdominal pain.