Patients with gastrointestinal diseases behavioral patterns associated with the healthy lifestyle principles

An important aspect of patients’ behavior is their attitude toward healthy lifestyle principles, especially regarding smoking and alcohol consumption. Objective. To analyze the behaviors associated with compliance with the principles of a healthy lifestyle in patients with digestive system diseases. Materials and methods. The study patients were divided into three groups: Group 1 (531 subjects) included patients with digestive diseases receiving elective treatment in outpatient settings; Group 2 (822 subjects) included patients receiving elective treatment in inpatient settings (in the specialized gastroenterology department); Group 3 (147 subjects) included hospitalized patients receiving emergency treatment for complications of digestive diseases. The comparison between groups was performed using nonparametric criteria: the association coefficient (Cass) and the χ2 test. Results. Despite their subjective perception of the sufficiency of their efforts to maintain their own health, many patients do not adhere to the principles of a healthy lifestyle as a basis for maintaining it. The proportion of non-smoking patients was 64.4% in Group 1, 56.3% in Group 2, and significantly less in Group 3 — 37.1% (p<0.05). 5.4% of patients in Group 1, 4.1% of patients in Group 2, and 37.3% of patients in Group 3 consume alcohol almost daily. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion. Patients with digestive diseases are critical of the sufficiency of their efforts to maintain their own health. Only 40.4% of patients in Group 1 and 39.5% in Group 2 consider their efforts sufficient, whereas the proportion in Group 3 is significantly lower (22.2%).