Authors: Wong WM, Lai KC, Lam KF, Hui WM, Hu WH, Lam CL, Xia HH, Huang JQ, Chan CK, Lam SK, Wong BC.

Institution: Departments of Medicine and Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. bcywong@hku.hk

Background: Population-based data on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in Chinese are lacking. The prevalence, clinical spectrum and health care-seeking behaviour of subjects with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were studied.

Conclusion: The prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease was lower than that in Western populations, but carried a significant socio-economic burden in the studied Chinese population. The frequency of heartburn, female gender and psychosocial factors were associated with health care utilization in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Study link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12969086&query_hl=43&itool=pubmed_docsum

• Anxiety but not Depression Determines Health Care-Seeking Behaviour in Chinese Patients with Dyspepsia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a Population-Based Study