Background: The incidence of organic lower gastrointestinal disease increases with age. However, the prevalence of lower gastrointestinal symptoms in a British elderly population is unclear, with previous epidemiological studies focusing on younger populations. Furthermore, there is little information about consultation behaviour associated with lower gastrointestinal symptoms.
Aim: To determine the prevalence of lower gastrointestinal symptoms reported by randomly selected, elderly community subjects.
Methods: An age- and sex-stratified random sample of patients aged 65 years and over was drawn from a general practice register (n = 842). Those who had not refused to participate in an initial postal survey were invited to participate in a semi-structured physician interview at their own home to assess lower gastrointestinal symptomatology (n = 745). Non-participation bias and service use of all subjects were assessed from practice records.
Results: Five hundred and ninety-six (71%) patients were interviewed. Fifty-seven per cent of all participants had at least one lower gastrointestinal symptom. Individual symptoms and symptom complexes were common, affecting up to 32% of subjects. Only 24% of subjects with lower gastrointestinal symptoms consulted their general practitioner (GP) with such symptoms in the previous year. As few as 31% of subjects with new onset of the significant symptoms of rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and a change in bowel habit consulted their GP.
Conclusion: Lower gastrointestinal symptoms are common in a British elderly population and an important reason for GP consultation.