Dyspepsia in Rural Residents of Estonia: Life-style Factors, Psychoemotional Disorders, and Familial History of Gastrointestinal Diseases

Abstract

Background: The association between dyspepsia and life-style factors, psychoemotional disorders, and familial history of gastrointestinal diseases was evaluated in a case-control study of dyspepsia.

Methods: A group of 500 consecutive dyspeptic patients, attending a rural health care center, and a sex- and age-matched control group (n = 500) were interviewed using a specially compiled questionnaire.

Results: The dyspeptic subjects showed a significantly higher prevalence of psychoemotional disorders (p < 0.001), irregular dietary regimen (p > 0.05), and familial history of gastrointestinal diseases. The number of ex-smokers was also larger in dyspeptic subjects (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Our study showed that the subject group with the heterogeneous syndrome of dyspepsia has several characteristics in common.

Key Words:

• Dyspepsia
• gastrointestinal diseases
• life-style factors
• psychoemotional disorders