Evaluating the Impact of Including Virtual Dietary Education Within an Electronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome Pathway

Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Treatments: Other: virtually administered dietitian consults for IBS patients.; Other: IBS Group Online Session

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05721742

53363

Details and patient eligibility

About

Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disorder that affects many Canadians. The syndrome involves abdominal pain and change in frequency or form of bowel movements, and these symptoms can lead to a decreased quality of life for patients. Primary care physicians are dissatisfied with current referral processes, and patients may wait a long time to receive the correct diagnosis. Diet is known to exacerbate symptoms of IBS. In Canada, accessing dietary treatment for IBS is a challenge due to lack of resources. Some patients lack access to dietary interventions, and others are given advice that is not evidenced based. Use of eHealth technology, such as virtual education delivered by a dietician, may allow for more widespread access to dietary interventions for IBS. Virtual education can include one on one dietary education, online group-based education, and the use of apps. Currently, there is a gap in knowledge whether dietary intervention for IBS, delivered virtually by a dietician, is effective in treating IBS.

Enrollment: 76 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Recurrent abdominal pain on average at least 1 day/ week in the last 3 months associated with two or more of the following criteria: related to defecation, or association with a change in frequency of stool or associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool
• Willingness to change diet
• Access to a device for accessing virtual dietary education

Exclusion criteria

• New onset symptoms within past year in age 50 and above
• Rectal bleeding
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Unexplained recent weight loss
• Gastrointestinal surgery with removal of gallbladder or segments of the bowel
• Having an eating disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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76 participants in 2 patient groups

pre-existing online group education program for IBS

Active Comparator group

Description:

This arm will be enrolled in the online course run by Happy Bellies Nutrition https://www.happybelliesnutrition.com/ibs-gentle-group-program. The Happy Bellies nutrition course has 5.5 hours of total video content and optional biweekly group calls via Zoom (45-minutes per session). This course is designed to take 12 weeks to complete. The participants would have access to the content for one year.

Treatment:

Other: IBS Group Online Session

virtual dietitian consults for IBS patients

Experimental group

Description:

This arm will receive consults with a virtual dietitian (60 minutes initial + 4 x30-minute follow-up appointment) by a dietitian who has had additional training in the dietary management of IBS.

Treatment:

Other: virtually administered dietitian consults for IBS patients.