Better Health, Brighter Future
Empowering Women With Chronic Idiopathic Constipation to Take Control of Their Condition
Occasional constipation can happen to anyone, but for approximately 35 million Americans living with a condition called chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) it’s an ongoing problem.i,ii* CIC is characterized by symptoms like abdominal pain and bloating over a long period of time (more than six months).iii
The exact cause of CIC is unknown, so diagnosing and managing this seldom talked-about condition can be especially tricky. Complicating things further, bathroom taboos can leave people with the condition feeling embarrassed and like no one understands. With CIC estimated to affect nearly twice as many women as men,ii Takeda is recognizing Constipation Awareness Month this December in an effort to increase understanding about the impact of CIC on women and to help open the conversation about this rarely talked about topic.
“Although CIC is relatively common and treatable, many women with the condition may feel uncomfortable talking about it and/or believe that they have no choice but to accept symptoms as an unavoidable, yet highly disruptive, part of their lives,” said Jen Majka, Vice President, U.S. GI Retail Franchise. “As part of our ongoing commitment to patients, we are hoping to help open the dialogue and increase understanding about this taboo topic, with the goal of educating and empowering women with the condition to self-advocate and not accept CIC symptoms as something they just have to suffer with in silence.”
Findings from a national survey called Current Insights about Constipation conducted online between April 16 and June 6, 2018 by The Harris Poll on behalf of Shire, now part of Takeda, reveal new insights about how CIC affects the daily lives of women living with it. For example, the majority of women with CIC say they generally never feel well (75%) and that they often have to put their lives on pause (68%) because of the condition. Yet, more than 8 in 10 (84%) feel that no one understands the negative impact CIC has on their everyday lives.
“The impact on patients living with chronic and disruptive GI conditions, such as CIC, is under-appreciated. For more than two decades, Takeda has been dedicated to increasing awareness and providing support, education and treatment options to the GI community,” said Majka. “We remain passionately committed to supporting patients and shaping the future of gastroenterology for people living with CIC and other chronic GI conditions.”
To learn more about CIC, visit www.TheColonMoves.com.
About the Current Insights about Constipation Survey
The Current Insights about Constipation Survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Shire between April 16 and June 6, 2018. Shire is now a part of Takeda. The patient arm of the survey included a total of 881 U.S. adults aged 18+ (N=274 male and N=607 female) who have been diagnosed by a healthcare professional with CIC and who sought treatment for the condition (“people with CIC” or “CIC patients”). The professional arm of the survey included 250 GIs licensed to practice in the U.S. who have seen 15 or more CIC patients in the past month. For complete research method, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Kara Hoeger, director, therapeutic area lead, corporate communications, Takeda, at [email protected].
* This represents ~14% of the U.S. population as of July 1, 2018 Census Bureau Data.
i US Census Data Available at: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045216. Accessed November 13, 2019.
ii Suares NC, Ford AC. Prevalence of, and Risk Factors for, Chronic Idiopathic Constipation in the Community: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The American Journal of Gastroenterology 106, 1582-1591 (September 2011) | doi:10.1038/ajg.2011.164
iii Lacy BE, Mearin F, Chang L, et al. Bowel Disorders. Gastroenterology. 2016;150:1393-407.
The exact cause of CIC is unknown, so diagnosing and managing this seldom talked-about condition can be especially tricky. Complicating things further, bathroom taboos can leave people with the condition feeling embarrassed and like no one understands. With CIC estimated to affect nearly twice as many women as men,ii Takeda is recognizing Constipation Awareness Month this December in an effort to increase understanding about the impact of CIC on women and to help open the conversation about this rarely talked about topic.
“Although CIC is relatively common and treatable, many women with the condition may feel uncomfortable talking about it and/or believe that they have no choice but to accept symptoms as an unavoidable, yet highly disruptive, part of their lives,” said Jen Majka, Vice President, U.S. GI Retail Franchise. “As part of our ongoing commitment to patients, we are hoping to help open the dialogue and increase understanding about this taboo topic, with the goal of educating and empowering women with the condition to self-advocate and not accept CIC symptoms as something they just have to suffer with in silence.”
Findings from a national survey called Current Insights about Constipation conducted online between April 16 and June 6, 2018 by The Harris Poll on behalf of Shire, now part of Takeda, reveal new insights about how CIC affects the daily lives of women living with it. For example, the majority of women with CIC say they generally never feel well (75%) and that they often have to put their lives on pause (68%) because of the condition. Yet, more than 8 in 10 (84%) feel that no one understands the negative impact CIC has on their everyday lives.
“The impact on patients living with chronic and disruptive GI conditions, such as CIC, is under-appreciated. For more than two decades, Takeda has been dedicated to increasing awareness and providing support, education and treatment options to the GI community,” said Majka. “We remain passionately committed to supporting patients and shaping the future of gastroenterology for people living with CIC and other chronic GI conditions.”
To learn more about CIC, visit www.TheColonMoves.com.
About the Current Insights about Constipation Survey
The Current Insights about Constipation Survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Shire between April 16 and June 6, 2018. Shire is now a part of Takeda. The patient arm of the survey included a total of 881 U.S. adults aged 18+ (N=274 male and N=607 female) who have been diagnosed by a healthcare professional with CIC and who sought treatment for the condition (“people with CIC” or “CIC patients”). The professional arm of the survey included 250 GIs licensed to practice in the U.S. who have seen 15 or more CIC patients in the past month. For complete research method, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Kara Hoeger, director, therapeutic area lead, corporate communications, Takeda, at [email protected].
* This represents ~14% of the U.S. population as of July 1, 2018 Census Bureau Data.
i US Census Data Available at: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045216. Accessed November 13, 2019.
ii Suares NC, Ford AC. Prevalence of, and Risk Factors for, Chronic Idiopathic Constipation in the Community: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The American Journal of Gastroenterology 106, 1582-1591 (September 2011) | doi:10.1038/ajg.2011.164
iii Lacy BE, Mearin F, Chang L, et al. Bowel Disorders. Gastroenterology. 2016;150:1393-407.