Table 2 Associations between patient characteristics and the physical (SF-12 PCS) and mental (SF-12 MCS) components of QoL

Age (n = 148)

r = -0.212

0.010

r = 0.259

0.002

Gender (male/female)

38.9 (12.3)/38.2 (11.8)

0.736^a

47.4 (11.3)/44.0 (11.1)

0.091^a

Education (< 10 years/10-13 years/> 13 years)

36.8 (11.3)/38.5(12.7)/42.8(11.0)

0.037”

44.5 (10.8)/45.0(11.7)/44.4(10.7)

0.955”

Daily smoking (yes/no) (n = 138)

38.7 (11.9)/38.6 (12.2)

0.976^a

42.0 (9.9)/46.4 (11.5)

0.025^a

Alcohol (≤ 2/week/> 2/week) (n = 135)

37.6 (12.2)/41.9 (11.9)

0.119^a

45.0 (10.8)/44.2 (12.9)

0.754^a

IBS symptom intensity score

rho = -0.232

0.004

rho = -0.229

0.005

Duration of IBS (n = 133)

rho = -0.033

0.705

r = 0.017

0.844

Subjective Health Complaints-17 (n = 148)

rho = -0.518

0.000

rho = -0.283

0.001

Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (n = 142)

rho = -0.024

0.778

rho = -0.616

< 0.001

Whiteley Index (n = 139)

rho = -0.395

< 0.001

rho = -0.441

< 0.001

No. organic diseases

rho = -0.407

< 0.001

rho = 0.000

0.995

Hopkins Symptom Check List-10 (n = 141)

rho = -0.191

0.024

rho = -0.695

< 0.001