Avoidance behaviour as a coping mechanism in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63521/pjg.41.3.2025.1Keywords:
Coping, Irriatble Bowel Syndorme, Somatization, Avoidance Behaviour, Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI), Patient Health QuestionnaireAbstract
Introduction: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Somatization Symptoms Disorder (SSD)
patients experience somatization symptoms that have a significant impact on their quality of
life and their primary diagnoses as well. Coping strategies in these patients affect how they
seek treatment and how they respond to different interventions. One of these coping strategies
is “Avoidance behaviour”. The relationship between avoidance behaviour in relation to
demographic and social variables in IBS patients’ needs to be better described.
Methods: This study was performed at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad. Study
participants aged 18 years and above who were seeking regular treatment in the respective
units of Shifa International Hospital, were surveyed between March 1st , 2023, and January
14th , 2024. Purposeful sampling was done to recruit study participants. Participants were
eligible to participate if they had a diagnosis of IBS, or SD. Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI)
was used to assess coping strategies in patients with IBS and SD.
Results: There was a total of 88 patients; 67 with IBS and 21 with SSD. With increasing age,
the avoidance behaviour decreased, with higher education levels avoidance behaviour also
increased.
Conclusion: Avoidance behaviour was observed as a significant interventional target in IBS
patients. This is most evident in the younger age group and those with higher level of
education.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Saira Akhlaq, Muhammad Ahmed Bajwa , Abdul Ahad, Muhammad Yaqoob AKhtar, Sajawal Hussain , Nosheen kazmi , kalsoom Akhlaq, Shahzad Riyaz , Murtaza Kazmi (Author)
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Authors retain the copyright to their work and grant the Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology (PJG) the right of first publication under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This license allows others to share, adapt, and reuse the work for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the journal.
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