On this page:

• All Digestive Diseases
• Specific Diseases
• Additional Data
• Sources
• Glossary

All Digestive Diseases

Prevalence: 60 to 70 million people affected by all digestive diseases (1996) [1] Mortality: 234,000 deaths, including deaths from cancer (2002) [2] Hospitalizations: 14 million—9 percent (2002) [3] Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures: 6 million—14 percent of all of all in-patient hospitalization procedures (2002) [3] Ambulatory care visits: 45 million (1999–2000) [4] Disability: 1.9 million people (1990–1992) [5] Costs:  $107,000 billion (1992)      $85.5 billion direct medical costs (1998) [6]      $20 billion indirect costs (e.g., disability and mortality)

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Specific Diseases

Abdominal Wall Hernia

Incidence: 800,000 new cases, including 500,000 inguinal hernias (1985)

Prevalence: 4.5 million people (1996) ^[1]

Mortality: 1,143 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 322,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 3.3 million (1999–2000) ^[4]

Prescriptions: 184,000 (1989–1990)

Disability: 467,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis

Prevalence: 400,000 people (1976–1980)

Mortality: 27,257 deaths (2002) ^[7]

Hospitalizations: 421,000 (2002) ^[3]

Physician office visits: 1 million (1985)

Disability: 130,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Constipation

Prevalence: 3.1 million people (1996) ^[1]

Mortality: 121 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 398,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 1.4 million (1999–2000) ^[4]

Prescriptions: 1 million (1985)

Disability: 30,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Diverticular Disease

Incidence: 300,000 new cases (1987)

Prevalence: 2.5 million people (1996) ^[1]

Mortality: 3,324 deaths (2002) ^[1]

Hospitalizations: 576,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 1.2 million (1990–2004) ^[4]

Disability: 86,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Gallstones

Prevalence: 20.5 million people (1988–1994) ^[8]

Mortality: 1,077 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 636,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 1.8 million (1999–2000) ^[4]

Prescriptions: 195,000 (1985)

Surgical procedures: 500,000 cholecystectomies (1987)

Disability: 117,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Gastritis and Nonulcer Dyspepsia (NUD)

Incidence:

Gastritis: 313,000 new cases (1975)

Chronic NUD: 444,000 new cases (1975)

Acute NUD: 8.0 million new cases (1996) ^[1]

Prevalence:

Gastritis: 3.7 million people (1996) ^[1]

NUD: 6.4 million people (1996) ^[1]

Mortality:

Gastritis: 357 deaths (2002) ^[2]

NUD: 5 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations:

Gastritis: 549,000 (2002) ^[3]

NUD: 79,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits:

Gastritis: 2.9 million (1999–2000) ^[4]

NUD: 800,000 (1980s)

Prescriptions:

Gastritis: 2 million (1985)

NUD: 649,000 (1985)

Disability:

Gastritis: 30,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Chronic NUD: 71,000 people (1990–1992) ^[4]

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Related Esophageal Disorders

Prevalence: Reflux symptoms at least weekly: 20 percent of the U.S. population (1990) ^[9]

Mortality: 1,707 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 710,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 709,000 (1990–1992) ^[4]

Disability: 45,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Hemorrhoids (1983–1987)

Incidence: 1 million new cases

Prevalence: 8.5 million people (1996) ^[1]

Mortality: 18 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 168,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 1.9 million (1999–2000) ^[4]

Prescriptions: 1.5 million (1983–1987)

Disability: 38,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Infectious Diarrhea

Incidence: 16 million new cases (1996) ^[1]

Mortality: 2,481 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 375,000 to 777,000 (2002) ^[3]

Physician office visits: 8 to 12 million (1985)

Prescriptions: 5 to 8 million (1985)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Incidence:

Ulcerative colitis: 8 new cases per 100,000 people per year (1984–1993) ^[10]

Crohn’s disease: 7 new cases per 100,000 people per year (1984–1993) ^[11]

Prevalence:

Ulcerative colitis: 246 cases per 100,000 people per year (2001) ^[12]

Crohn’s disease: 162 cases per 100,000 people per year (2001) ^[12]

Mortality: 825 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 169,000—with 62 percent for Crohn's disease (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 5.9 million per year (1999–2000) ^[4]

Disability: 161,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Prevalence: 2.1 million people (1996) ^[1]

Mortality: 22 deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations: 119,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 1.3 million per year (1999–2000) ^[4]

Prescriptions: 2.2 million (1985)

Disability: 46,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Lactose Intolerance

Prevalence: 30 to 50 million people (1994) ^[13]

Pancreatitis

Incidence:

Acute: 17 new cases per 100,000 people (1976–1988)

Mortality: 3,532 total deaths (2002) ^[2]

Hospitalizations:

Acute: 333,000 (2002) ^[3]

Chronic: 86,000 (2002) ^[3]

Physician office visits:

Acute: 911,000 (1987)

Chronic: 122,000 (1987)

Peptic Ulcer

Prevalence: 14.5 million people (2003) ^[14]

Mortality: 4,079 deaths (2002) ^[7]

Hospitalizations: 403,000 (2002) ^[3]

Ambulatory care visits: 876,000 million (1999–2000) ^[4]

Prescriptions: 2 million (1985)

Disability: 328,000 people (1990–1992) ^[5]

Viral Hepatitis

Incidence:

Hepatitis A: 32,000 new cases (1992)

Hepatitis B: 335,000 new cases (1988–1994) ^[15]

Hepatitis C: 150,000 new cases (1991)

Hepatitis D: 70,000 new cases (1990)

Prevalence:

Hepatitis A: 31 percent of U.S. population (1988–1994) ^[16]

Hepatitis B: 5 percent of U.S. population (1988–1994) ^[17]

Hepatitis C: 1.8 percent of the U.S. population (1988–1994) ^[18]

Hepatitis D: Not determined

Mortality: 5,793 deaths (2002) ^[7]

Hospitalizations: 353,000 (2002) ^[3]

Physician office visits: 500,000 (1985)

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Additional Data

Liver Transplants: 5,364 transplants performed (2003) ^[19]

Number of gastroenterologists in the United States: 11,704 (2003) ^[20]

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Sources

1. Adams PF, Hendershot GE, Marano MA. Current estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 1996. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 1999;10(200).

2. National Center for Health Statistics. (Technical Appendix from Vital Statistics of the United States: Mortality). 2002. Hyattsville, Maryland: 2004.

3. Kozak LJ, Owings MF, Hall MJ. National Hospital Discharge Survey: 2002 annual summary with detailed diagnosis and procedure data. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 2005;13(158).

4. Burt CW, Schappert SM. Ambulatory care visits to physician offices, hospital outpatient departments, and emergency departments: United States, 1999–2000. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 2004;13(157).

5. Collins, JG. Prevalence of selected chronic conditions: United States, 1990–1992. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 1997; 10(194).

6. Sandler RS, Everhart JE, Donowitz M, Adams E, Cronin K, Goodman C, Gemmen E, Shah S, Avdic A, Rubin R. The burden of selected digestive diseases in the United States. Gastroenterology. 2002;122:1500–1511.

7. Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Anderson RN, Scott C. Deaths: Final data for 2002. National vital statistics reports; Vol 53 (5). Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 2004.

8. Everhart JE, Khare M, Hill M, Maurer KR. Prevalence and ethnic differences in gallbladder disease in the United States. Gastroenterology. 1999;117:632–639.

9. Locke GR III, Talley NJ, Fett SL, Zinsmeister AR, Melton LJ III. Prevalence and clinical spectrum of gastroesophageal reflux: a population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Gastroenterology. 1997;112:1448–56.

10. Loftus EV, Silverstein MD, Sandborn WJ, Tremaine WJ, Harmsen WS, Zinsmeister AR. Ulcerative colitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1940–1993: incidence, prevalence, and survival. Gut. 2000;46:336–43.

11. Loftus EV, Silverstein MD, Sandborn WJ, Tremaine WJ, Harmsen WS, Zinsmeister AR. Crohn's disease in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1940–1993: incidence, prevalence, and survival. Gastroenterology. 1998; 114:1161–8.

12. Loftus EV. Clinical epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease: incidence, prevalence, and environmental influences. Gastroenterology. 2004;126:1504–17.

13. Rusynyk RA, Still CD. Lactose intolerance. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. 2001;Apr;101(4 Suppl Pt 1):S10-2.

14. Lethbridge-Cejku M, Vickerie J. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2003. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 2005;10(225).

15. Coleman PJ, McQuillan GM, Moyer LA, Lambert SB, Margolis HS. Incidence of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States, 1976–1994: estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1998;178:954–959.

16. National Center for Health Statistics. NHANES Data Briefs: Viral Hepatitis. 2005.

17. McQuillan GM, Coleman PJ, Kruszon-Moran D, Moyer LA, Lambert SB, Margolis HS. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1976 through 1994. American Journal of Public Health. 1999;89:14–18.

18. Alter MJ, Kruszon-Moran D, Nainan OV, McQuillan GM, Gao F, Moyer LA, Kaslow RA, Margolis HS. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the United States, 1988 through 1994. New England Journal of Medicine. 1999;341:556–562.

19. 2004 Annual Report of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients: Transplant Data 1994–2003. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Division of Transplantation, Rockville, MD; United Network for Organ Sharing, Richmond, VA; University Renal Research and Education Association, Ann Arbor, MI.

20. American Medical Association. Physician characteristics and distribution in the United States. American Medical Association. Chicago, IL: 2005.

Unless noted, the data in this fact sheet are from the following:

Everhart J E. Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and impact. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 1994. NIH Publication No. 94–1447.

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Glossary

Data for digestive diseases as a group and for specific diseases are provided in various categories. For some diseases, data do not exist in all categories. Following are definitions of the categories as used in this fact sheet:

Ambulatory care visits: The number of visits made to office-based physicians, hospital outpatient, and emergency departments for a disease per year.

Disability: The number of people in a year whose ability to perform major daily activities such as working, housekeeping, and going to school is limited and reduced over long periods because of a disease.

Hospitalizations: The number of hospitalizations for a disease in a year.

Incidence: The number of new cases of a disease in the U.S. population in a year.

Mortality: The number of deaths resulting from the disease listed as the underlying or primary cause in a year.

Physician office visits: The number of outpatient visits to office-based physicians for a disease in a year.

Prescriptions: The number of prescriptions written annually for medications to treat a specific disease.

Prevalence: The number of people in the United States affected by a disease or diseases in a year.

Procedures: The number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed annually in a hospital setting.

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National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3570

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1980, the Clearinghouse provides information about digestive diseases to people with digestive disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NDDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about digestive diseases.

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.

This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

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NIH Publication No. 06–3873
December 2005

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National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse 2 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892–3570 Phone: 1–800–891–5389 Fax: 703–738–4929 Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov