J Neurogastroenterol Motil.
2024 Jul;30(3):361-372. 10.5056/jnm23012.
Masculinity, Rather Than Biological Sex, Is Associated With Psychological Comorbidities in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Affiliations
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- 1Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea, Good Breath Clinic, Gunpo, Gyeonggi-do Korea
- 2Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 4Department of Internal Medicine and Healthcare Research Institute, Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul National University Hospital Gangnam Center, Seoul, Korea
- 5Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 6Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea
- 7Department of Psychiatry, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea
- 8Department of Education, Hongik University, Seoul, Korea
- 9Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- KMID: 2557973
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.5056/jnm23012
Abstract
- Background/Aims
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) generally shows sex differences, and psychiatric comorbidities play an important role in its pathogenesis. We aim to measure the levels of gender roles and investigate their relationship with psychiatric factors in patients with IBS versus healthy controls.
Methods
Patients diagnosed with IBS by Rome III and whose colonoscopy findings were normal were enrolled at multiple sites in Korea. The participants completed the Korean Sex Role Inventory–Short Form (KSRI-SF) to assess masculinity and femininity, the stress questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire to assess the quality of life (QOL).
Results
In total, 102 patients with IBS (male:female = 35:67; mean age 42.6 ± 16.7 years) and 55 controls (male:female = 20:35; mean age 42.4 ± 11.1 years) were recruited. IBS patients had higher stress (9.69 ± 8.23 vs 4.56 ± 8.31, P < 0.001) and HADS scores (16.12 ± 7.17 vs 10.22 ± 5.74, P < 0.001) than the control group, but showed no significant difference in KSRI-SF scores. No significant differences in HADS and KSRI-SF scores were found between males and females. However, IBS patients whose symptoms worsened due to stress and patients with anxiety or depression had significantly lower masculinity. QOL was poorer in IBS patients than in controls. In stepwise multivariate analyses, the anxiety score, depression score, and the degree of daily life disturbance, not masculinity, were associated with the QOL of IBS patients.
Conclusions
IBS patients had higher stress, more psychiatric comorbidities, and lower QOL than controls. Low masculinity, rather than sex, was associated with stress and psychological comorbidities, which deteriorated the QOL in IBS patients.
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