Using several national surveys (2016-2018), the authors provide data on GI diagnoses and expenditures for adults and children
Key findings:
Gastrointestinal health care expenditures totaled $119.6 billion in 2018.
Annually, there were more than 36.8 million ambulatory visits for gastrointestinal symptoms and 43.4 million ambulatory visits with a primary gastrointestinal diagnosis
A total of 22.2 million gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed, and 284,844 new gastrointestinal cancers were diagnosed
Gastrointestinal diseases and cancers caused 255,407 deaths
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Abdominal pain, reflux, and constipation are the leading GI diagnoses
GI bleeding, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis and liver disease are the most common diagnoses associated with admission to the hospital
In the pediatric age group, appendicitis, intestinal infection and inflammatory bowel disease are the principal diagnosis associated with GI admissions
Trends in GI cancer frequency over the last three decades are shown (including ethnicity)
Among non-malignancy, alcohol-associated liver disease followed by cirrhosis and GI bleeding were most common causes of death in GI/Liver categories
Data on the frequency of colonoscopies and transplants is provided
