Impact of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms on health resource usage and work absenteeism in Spain.

Objectives: To estimate the impact of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms on the utilization of healthcare services and work absenteeism in Spain.
Methods: A cross-sectional study on 2,500 subjects representative of the Spanish population from 40 to 79 years of age. Data were collected via a telephone interview in January 2002 using Locke s questionnaire after its cross-cultural adaptation and validation for telephone use in Spain.
Results: GER is responsible for 296.8 doctor consultations (95% CI: 245.3-348.7) per 1,000 inhabitants per year, for 24 esophagogastrointestinal radiographic studies per 1,000 inhabitants per year (95% CI: 18-30), for 32.4 (95% CI: 25.5-39.3) high digestive endoscopies per 1,000 inhabitants per year, and for the loss of 201 (95% CI: 0-411.1) working days per 1,000 employed inhabitants with GER per year. In relation to medication intake, GER resulted in 4,092 (95% CI: 3,300-5,133) treatment days with H2 antagonists per 1,000 inhabitants per year, 9,030 (95% CI: 7,846-10,332) treatment days with proton pump inhibitors per 1,000 inhabitants per year, and 1,082 (95% CI: 519-1,549) treatment days with prokinetics per 1,000 inhabitants per year.
Conclusions: GER has a large impact on the utilization of healthcare resources and work absenteeism in Spain, in contrast to the widespread belief that it is an illness of little importance.