{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T00:15:24Z","timestamp":1791591324038,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Gut"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1990,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>A validated postal questionnaire has been used to establish the prevalence of dyspeptic symptoms in five geographical locations from the south coast of England to the north of Scotland. The six month period prevalence of dyspepsia in the 7428 respondents to the questionnaire is 41% and equal between the sexes, with similar prevalence rates in the centres studied. There is considerable overlap between upper abdominal symptoms and symptoms of heartburn; 56% of patients with dyspepsia experience both groups of symptoms. Symptom frequency falls progressively with age in men and women, but the proportion of people seeking medical advice for dyspepsia rises with age. One quarter of the dyspeptic patients studied have consulted a general practitioner about their symptoms. This study suggests that the prevalence of dyspepsia in the community has changed little over the last 30 years, despite evidence that the frequency of peptic ulcer disease is falling. Symptom prevalence is unrelated to social class, but this factor is associated with consultation behaviour, the consultation rate rising from 17% in social class 1 to 29% in social class 4. The use of investigations--barium meal and endoscopy--is similarly related to social class; the lowest rate for ulcer diagnosis (4.7%) is found in social class 1 and the highest (17.1%) in social class 5.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/gut.31.4.401","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,9,18]],"date-time":"2007-09-18T17:41:31Z","timestamp":1190137291000},"page":"401-405","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":307,"title":["Dyspepsia in England and Scotland."],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"31","author":[{"given":"R H","family":"Jones","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S E","family":"Lydeard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"F D","family":"Hobbs","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J E","family":"Kenkre","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"E I","family":"Williams","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S J","family":"Jones","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J A","family":"Repper","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J L","family":"Caldow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"W M","family":"Dunwoodie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J M","family":"Bottomley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1990,4,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1453","article-title":"Five years of general practice: a study in simple epidemiology","volume":"2","author":"Fry, J.","year":"1957","unstructured":"Fry J. Five years of general practice: a study in simple epidemiology. BrMedJ 1957; 2: 1453-7.","journal-title":"BrMedJ"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"32","article-title":"Symptoms in general practice. J7 R Coll Gen Pract","volume":"21","author":"Morrell, D.C.; Gage, H.G.; Robinson, N.A.","year":"1971","unstructured":"Morrell DC, Gage HG, Robinson NA. Symptoms in general practice. J7 R Coll Gen Pract 1971; 21: 32-43."},{"key":"ref_3","article-title":"Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, Dept of Health and Social Security. Morbidity statisticsfrom generalpractice 1981-82; third national study","author":"of General Practitioners, Royal College","year":"1986","unstructured":"Royal College of General Practitioners, Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, Dept of Health and Social Security. Morbidity statisticsfrom generalpractice 1981-82; third national study. London: HMSO, 1986."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.3109\/00365528609015159","article-title":"The clinical benefit of routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy","volume":"21","author":"Fjosne, U.; Kleveland, P.M.; Waldum, H.","year":"1986","unstructured":"Fjosne U, Kleveland PM, Waldum H, et al. The clinical benefit of routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. ScandJ Gastroenterol 1986; 21: 433-40.","journal-title":"ScandJ Gastroenterol"},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"19","article-title":"Clinical presentation of patients with dyspepsia. Detailed symptomatic study of 360 patients","volume-title":"Gut","volume":"19","author":"Horrocks, J.C.; DeDombal, F.T.","year":"1978","unstructured":"Horrocks JC, DeDombal FT. Clinical presentation of patients with dyspepsia. Detailed symptomatic study of 360 patients. Gut 1978; 19: 19-26."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"779","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(87)92509-8","article-title":"Dyspepsia: a dilemma for doctors?","volume":"ii:","author":"Heatley, R.V.; Rathbone, B.J.","year":"1987","unstructured":"Heatley RV, Rathbone BJ. Dyspepsia: a dilemma for doctors? Lancet 1987; ii: 779-81.","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1063","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.284.6322.1063","article-title":"What is happening to peptic ulcer?","volume":"284","author":"Langman, M.J.S.","year":"1982","unstructured":"Langman MJS. What is happening to peptic ulcer? Br Med J 1982; 284: 1063-4.","journal-title":"Br Med J"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"98","article-title":"Sex differences in peptic ulcer disease","volume":"88","author":"Kurata, J.H.; Haile, B.M.; Elashoff, D.","year":"1985","unstructured":"Kurata JH, Haile BM, Elashoff D. Sex differences in peptic ulcer disease. Gastroenterology 1985; 88: 98-100.","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"489","article-title":"Rising frequency of ulcer perforation in elderly people in the United Kingdom","volume":"i:","author":"Walt, R.P.; Katschinski, B.; Logan, R.","year":"1986","unstructured":"Walt RP, Katschinski B, Logan R, et al. Rising frequency of ulcer perforation in elderly people in the United Kingdom. Lancet 1986, i: 489-92.","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_10","article-title":"Occupationalfactors in the aetiology ofgastric and duodenal ulcers, with an estimate of their incidence in the general population. MRC Special Report, Series No 276","author":"Doll, R.; Avery Jones, F.; Buckatzsch, M.M.","year":"1951","unstructured":"Doll R, Avery Jones F, Buckatzsch MM. Occupationalfactors in the aetiology ofgastric and duodenal ulcers, with an estimate of their incidence in the general population. MRC Special Report, Series No 276: London: HMSO, 1951."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1136\/gut.9.1.75","article-title":"Studies of the epidemiology of peptic ulcer in a rural community: prevalence and natural history of dyspepsia and peptic ulcer","volume":"9","author":"Weir, R.D.; Backett, E.M.","year":"1968","unstructured":"Weir RD, Backett EM. Studies of the epidemiology of peptic ulcer in a rural community: prevalence and natural history of dyspepsia and peptic ulcer. Gut 1968; 9: 75-83.","journal-title":"Gut"},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"131","article-title":"Peptic ulcer in town and county","volume":"13","author":"Pulvertaft, C.N.","year":"1959","unstructured":"Pulvertaft CN. Peptic ulcer in town and county. BrJ Prev Soc Med 1959; 13: 131-8.","journal-title":"BrJ Prev Soc Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"ref_13","first-page":"343","article-title":"Frequency ofpeptic ulcer among executives, craftsmen and foremen","volume":"1962","author":"Dunn, J.P.; Cobb, S.","unstructured":"Dunn JP, Cobb S. Frequency ofpeptic ulcer among executives, craftsmen and foremen. J Occup Med 1962; 4: 343-8.","journal-title":"J Occup Med"},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"30","article-title":"Prevalence of symptoms of dyspepsia in the community","volume":"290","author":"Jones, R.; Lydeard, S.","year":"1989","unstructured":"Jones R, Lydeard S. Prevalence of symptoms of dyspepsia in the community. BrMedJr 1989; 290: 30-2.","journal-title":"BrMedJr"},{"key":"ref_15","article-title":"Population Censuses and Surveys. Classification of occupations and coding index","author":"Office of","year":"1980","unstructured":"Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Classification of occupations and coding index. London: HMSO, 1980."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1097\/00000658-198801000-00002","article-title":"Incidence of perforated and bleeding peptic ulcers before and after the introduction of H2-receptor antagonists","volume":"207","author":"Christensen, A.; Bousfield, R.; Christiansen, J.","year":"1988","unstructured":"Christensen A, Bousfield R, Christiansen J. Incidence of perforated and bleeding peptic ulcers before and after the introduction of H2-receptor antagonists. Ann Surg 1988; 207: 4-6.","journal-title":"Ann Surg"},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"13","article-title":"Perforated duodenal ulcer in England and Wales: time trends and regional and urban-rural differences","volume":"13","author":"Barker, D.J.P.; Power, C.; Lambert, P.M.; Smith, C.L.","year":"1981","unstructured":"Barker DJP, Power C, Lambert PM, Smith CL. Perforated duodenal ulcer in England and Wales: time trends and regional and urban-rural differences. Health Trends 1981; 13: 13-5.","journal-title":"Health Trends"},{"key":"ref_18","article-title":"Atlas of mortality from selected diseases in England and Wales 1968-1978","author":"Gardner, M.J.; Winter, P.D.; Barker, D.J.P.","year":"1984","unstructured":"Gardner MJ, Winter PD, Barker DJP. Atlas of mortality from selected diseases in England and Wales 1968-1978. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1984."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1370","DOI":"10.1016\/0016-5085(86)90189-7","article-title":"Life events stress and psychological factors in men with peptic ulcer disease: a multi-dimensional case control study","volume":"91","author":"Feldman, M.; Walker, P.; Green, J.L.; Weingarden, K.","year":"1986","unstructured":"Feldman M, Walker P, Green JL, Weingarden K. Life events stress and psychological factors in men with peptic ulcer disease: a multi-dimensional case control study. Gastroenterology 1986; 91: 1370-9.","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"323","article-title":"Life events stress and psychological factors in men with peptic ulcer disease. Relationships with serum pepsinogen concentrations","volume-title":"and behavioural risk factors. Gastroenterology 1988; 94","author":"Walker, P.; Littler, J.; Samloff, I.M.; Feldman, M.","unstructured":"Walker P, Littler J, Samloff IM, Feldman M. Life events stress and psychological factors in men with peptic ulcer disease. Relationships with serum pepsinogen concentrations and behavioural risk factors. Gastroenterology 1988; 94: 323-30."},{"key":"ref_21","article-title":"Social class and health status: inequality or difference. Occasional Paper No 25","author":"Crombie, D.L.","year":"1984","unstructured":"Crombie DL. Social class and health status: inequality or difference. Occasional Paper No 25. Exeter: Royal College of General Practitioners, 1984."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"576","article-title":"Management of dyspepsia: report of a working party","volume":"i:","author":"Jones, Working Party (Chairman D G Colin","year":"1988","unstructured":"Working Party (Chairman D G Colin Jones). Management of dyspepsia: report of a working party. Lancet 1988; i: 576-8.","journal-title":"Lancet"}],"container-title":["Gut"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/gut.31.4.401","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,6]],"date-time":"2025-12-06T04:17:31Z","timestamp":1764994651000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/gut.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/gut.31.4.401"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[1990,4]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1990,4,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1990,4]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/gut.31.4.401"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/gut.31.4.401","relation":{},"ISSN":["0017-5749","1468-3288"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0017-5749","type":"print"},{"value":"1468-3288","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[1990,4]]}}}