Publications by authors named "Josie McGarva"

Background: Food-related quality of life (FRQoL) measures the impact of diet, eating behaviours and food-related anxiety on quality of life. Patients often view food and eating as central to symptom management. This is the first study to examine FRQoL in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, celiac sprue, achalasia and eosinophilic oesophagitis.

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Background: Post-traumatic stress (PTS) is the psycho-physiological response to a traumatic or life-threatening event and is implicated in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD-PTS is present in up to 30% of white, non-Hispanic patients. The rates of IBD in Asian populations are expanding, making the exploration of IBD-PTS in this population imperative.

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Several chronic digestive conditions are physiologically based on food intolerance, including celiac disease, nonceliac gluten sensitivity, and eosinophilic esophagitis. Patients are expected to follow medically prescribed diets to eliminate identified food triggers to control symptoms. However, the psychological impacts of these dietary approaches are largely unaddressed in clinical practice.

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Background: Achalasia is a debilitating major motor disorder of the oesophagus. Hypervigilance and symptom-specific anxiety substantially impact dysphagia symptom reporting, and quality of life is a critical patient outcome. Earlier achalasia symptom scales did not consider these constructs in their psychometric development.

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Introduction: Medical trauma related to IBD (IBD-PTS) affects approximately 25% of patients and is associated with poor outcomes. Prior studies identify common hospitalization experiences as potentially traumatic but have not measured risk relationships for the development of IBD-PTS. We aim to investigate what aspects of hospitalizations may increase the chance of medical trauma and IBD-PTS development.

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Article Synopsis
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is characterized by symptoms like heartburn and chest pain, and can be managed through medication, lifestyle changes, and sometimes surgery, depending on severity.
  • A systematic review of 14 studies identified three key lifestyle modifications for managing GERD: medication adherence, dietary changes, and sleep recommendations, highlighting that adherence varies in impact based on the modification type.
  • Findings suggest that symptom severity affects adherence differently—patient-provider communication may enhance knowledge, but it’s uncertain if this directly improves adherence; a lack of consistent guidelines also complicates adherence efforts and reporting.
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