Gender differences in psychological distress among patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

作者信息

Blanchard E B, Keefer L, Galovski T E, Taylor A E, Turner S M

机构信息

Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders, University of Albany, 1535 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203, USA.

出版信息

J Psychosom Res. 2001 May;50(5):271-5. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3999(01)00207-0.

OBJECTIVE

We examined possible gender differences in psychological distress in a sample of treatment-seeking Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) patients.

METHODS

A total of 341 IBS patients (238 females, 83 males) were studied. Structured psychiatric interviews were available on 250 participants.

RESULTS

We found significantly higher scores for females than males on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Trait Anxiety of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Scales 2 and 3 of the MMPI. However, there were no differences in the percentages of the two samples meeting criteria for one or more Axis I psychiatric disorders, with 65.6% of the total sample meeting these criteria.

CONCLUSION

Gender differences in psychological distress appear to be a function of method of measurement.