Exploratory Randomised Controlled Trial of a Culturally Adapted Psychological Intervention for the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in a Low-income Country

A systematic review suggested no overall difference in the rates of IBS in East and West . In a population based study from Pakistan. Prevalence of IBS was assessed using Rome II criteria in relation to psychological distress, disability and life events in men and women separately. The prevalence of Rome II IBS was 13.3% which was higher than most population-based studies in Asia using Rome II criteria and similar to reports from Turkey and Malaysia.The findings also suggest equal sex ratio of IBS in urban Pakistan which may be because of the close association between marked distress and IBS in men similar to that found in women in the west.The results indicated that diarrhea-predominant IBS was associated with less disability compared to the constipation-predominant IBS which was associated with marked disability. This might be explained by the explanatory models; constipation is considered harmful as toxins or other harmful substances are retained within the body whereas diarrhea is not considered harmful as any toxins etc are removed from the body. Distress and life events contributed independently to high disability. In psychological treatments there is an assumption that there are some critical features which need to be addressed in the treatment process such as stress and anxiety; it also suggests that stress has a major role in increasing IBS symptoms as well as stress reactivity which results in IBS symptoms. The goal of cognitive-behavioral treatments is to increase awareness regarding the association between stress, thoughts, and IBS symptoms, it is important to identify and modify cognitive appraisals and to change depressive and/or anxiety-based schema. These interventions play a major role in decreasing IBS symptoms severity and associated anxiety and depression when compared to no treatment or standard medical care.