Tailored interventions in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Summary

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread functional digestive disorder the current aetiology of which is unknown. Prevalence estimates vary but values of 15 to 22% have been cited. The main study on this project will be a longitudinal intervention study investigating the relative efficacy of tailored versus non-tailored interventions for both health related quality of life and symptom severity. The study will compare different forms of tailored advice with a condition where sufferers are given general advice and a control condition where no advice is given. Tailoring will be based on measures of illness representations and of health locus of control.

Conference presentations

Jacobs, C. & Shepherd, R. (2005). Attitudes to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Epilepsy and Chronic Asthma. Poster presented at the 19th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Galway, 31 August - 3 September 2005.

Jacobs, C. & Shepherd, R. (2006). Role of doctor-patient communication in illness representations, and outcomes in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Proceedings of the British Psychological Society, 14 (1), 37. Poster presented at the BPS Health Psychology Conference, Coventry, 7-9 September 2005.

Jacobs, C. & Shepherd, R. (2006). Self regulatory based interventions in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Psychology & Health, 21 (Supplement 1), 71. Paper presented at the European Health Psychology Society Conference, Warsaw, 30 August - 2 September 2006.

Jacobs, C. & Shepherd, R. (2006). A self-help booklet based approach to the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Poster presented at the BPS Health Psychology Division Conference, Essex, 13-15 September 2006.

Researchers

• Carly Jacobs
• Prof. Richard Shepherd