With symptoms ranging from fatigue to abdominal pain and discomfort, gastrointestinal disorders can present differently on a patient-by-patient basis, making these common conditions challenging to diagnose. An estimated 60-70 million Americans suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, in many cases unknowingly. Recent research published in Gastroenterology reports that over 40% of the global population has a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) – which has significant adverse effects on quality of life and health care use.
According to data from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, GI disorders account for close to 50 million hospital visits and 21.7 million hospital admissions per year; they also lead to nearly 250,000 deaths annually. Furthermore, the treatment and management of gastrointestinal disorders give rise to $141.8 billion in U.S. healthcare expenditure, signaling an urgent need for increased awareness and clinical interventions.