摘要
AIM: To determine the prevalence and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a healthy general population in relation to demographic,lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors in Shiraz,southern Iran. METHODS: A total of 1978 subjects aged > 35 years who referred to Gastroenterohepatology Research Center and who completed a questionnaire consisting of 27 questions for GERD in relation to demographic,lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors were included in this study for a period of five months. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined. RESULTS: The prevalence of GERD was 15.4%,which was higher in females (17.3%),in rural areas (19.8%),and in illiterate subjects (21.5%) and those with a mean age of 50.25 years. The prevalence was significantly lower in subjects having fried food (14.8%),and fruit and vegetables (14.6%). More symptoms were noticed in subjects consuming pickles (22.1%),taking aspirin (21%) and in subjects with psychological distresses (27.2%) and headaches (22%). The correlation was statistically significant between GERD and halitosis (18.3%),dyspepsia (30.6%),anxiety (19.5%),nightmares (23.9%) and restlessness (18.5%). Their health seeking behavior showed that there was a significant restriction of diet (20%),consumption of herbal medicine (19%),using over-the-counter drugs (29.9%) and consulting with physicians (24.8%). Presence of GERD symptoms was also significantly related to a previous family history of the disease (22.3%).CONCLUSION: GERD is more common in females,rural and illiterate subjects and correlated with consumption of pickles,occurrence of headache,psychological distress,dyspepsia,halitosis,anxiety,nightmare and restlessness,and a family history of GERD and aspirin intake,but the correlation was negative with consumption of fat and fiber intake.
AIM： To determine the prevalence and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD） in a healthy general population in relation to demographic, lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors in Shiraz, southern Iran. METHODS： A total of 1978 subjects aged 〉 35 years who referred to Gastroenterohepatology Research Center and who completed a questionnaire consisting of 27 questions for GERD in relation to demographic, lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors were included in this study for a period of five months. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined. RESULTS： The prevalence of GERD was 15.4%, which was higher in females （17.3%）, in rural areas （19.8%）, and in illiterate subjects （21.5%） and those with a mean age of 50.25 years. The prevalence was significantly lower in subjects having fried food （14.8%）, and fruit and vegetables （14.6%）. More symptoms were noticed in subjects consuming pickles （22.1%）, taking aspirin （21%） and in subjects with psychological distresses （27.2%） and headaches （22%）. The correlation was statistically significant between GERD and halitosis （18.3%）, dyspepsia （30.6%）, anxiety （19.5%）, nightmares （23.9%） and restlessness （18.5%）. Their health seeking behavior showed that there was a significant restriction of diet （20%）, consumption of herbal medicine （19%）, using over-the-counter drugs （29.9%） and consulting with physicians （24.8%）. Presence of GERD symptoms was also significantly related to a previous family history of the disease （22.3%）.CONCLUSION： GERD is more common in females, rural and illiterate subjects and correlated with consumption of pickles, occurrence of headache, psychological distress, dyspepsia, halitosis, anxiety, nightmare and restlessness, and a family history of GERD and aspirin intake, but the correlation was negative with consumption of fat and fiber intake.
