Adolescents’ experiences of Functional GI Disorder Diagnosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of Adolescents Diagnosed with Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
IRAS ID
268212
Contact name
Amy Woodham
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
CTRG, University of Oxford, Clinical Trials and Research Governance
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 19 days
Research summary
‘Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders’ (FGIDs) is a medical diagnostic term used to describe a range of gastrointestinal symptoms which do not have an organic cause but are real physical symptoms caused by abnormal functioning of the gut. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. Increasingly it is accepted that a range of biological, psychological and social factors can influence on the development and maintenance of these symptoms. Functional gastrointestinal symptoms are common, and it is thought a quarter of children and adolescents’ experience these symptoms. For most young people symptoms are brief, mild and do not significantly impact on daily life, but for others they can be more severe, recurrent and can impact on activities such as attending school and engaging in hobbies. These young people may require specialist referral to a gastroenterology service for further investigations. Research has shown that the process of investigations can be stressful and uncertain for young people and their families. Additionally, research in different health settings has shown that arrival at a diagnosis which does not have an organic cause and is called ‘functional’, ‘somatic’ or ‘medically unexplained’ may be experienced by the person as confusing and invalidating, which may also impact on their interactions with other people in their life such as family, friends, teachers and health professionals. We want to interview 10-12 young people between the ages of 11-16 about their experience of being diagnosed with a FGID, with specific interest in what they and other people in their life think and say about it. We hope that the findings from this research will provide a deeper understanding of this experience, which may inform & improve the way health professionals such as doctors, nurses and psychologists work with these young people.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/WM/0235
Date of REC Opinion
3 Sep 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion