Living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Experiences and Concerns Relating to Flatulence Anxiety
This Swinburne-led research study explores the experiences and concerns relating to flatulence anxiety in people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Flatulence is a normal part of digestion and happens when gas builds up in the gastrointestinal tract and is released. Although it is a natural bodily process, many people feel anxious about flatulence because of embarrassment in social situations. For people living with IBD, concerns about bowel symptoms may have a broader impact on emotional wellbeing and quality of life. This study aims to better understand how these experiences and concerns may affect psychosocial wellbeing and overall quality of life.
The study involves completing a 20-minute online questionnaire about flatulence, anxiety related to flatulence, faecal incontinence, fear of incontinence in social situations, and social avoidance.
Go into the draw to win 1 of 10 AU$20 JB Hi-Fi vouchers
At the end of the study, you may choose to provide your email address to enter the prize draw. Your email address will be stored separately from your questionnaire responses. Ten winners will each receive an AU$20 JB Hi-Fi voucher. Winners will be drawn on 1 December 2026.
Who can participate?
We are looking for participants who have been diagnosed with IBD, are 18 years or older, are fluent in English, and do not have a stoma. Please do not take part if you are currently experiencing serious mental health difficulties that substantially interfere with one or more major areas of daily life.
How to participate?
To take part, please click the link here.
For more information, please contact the Swinburne research team:
Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Simon Knowles, (03) 9214 8206, email: [email protected]
Other investigators involved: Dr Pragalathan Apputhurai (Lecturer in Statistics), Kirsten Perrins (Research Assistant and Psychologist), and Associate Professor Gregory Moore (Monash Medical Centre).