(Taken from application) The International Foundation for Bowel Dysfunction (IFBD) is a nonprofit education organization which addresses issues surrounding life with functional bowel disorders and bowel incontinence. IFBD offers support and education to affected people, their families, and the general public. As part of its mission, IFBD promotes research related to bowel disorders and sponsors educational programs for health care providers and researchers. IFBD's Advisory Board consists of physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, medical researchers, and medical school professors, who work closely with the President to plan and implement educational programs such as the proposed 2nd International Symposium on Functional GI Disorders. The goal of the 1997 Symposium is to provide state of the art information on functional gastrointestinal disorders and to promote increased clinical research on diagnosis and treatment. The Symposium encourages a biopsychosocial approach to the study and treatment of these disorders, which includes examination of inter-related biological, psychological, and social factors. The event will include both large and small group learning opportunities. Large group plenary sessions will provide an overview of the basic science and physiology related to functional GI disorders, related health care costs, and state of the art diagnostic methods. Plenary sessions will also offer discussion of the biopsychosocial approach and the pharmacologic and psychologic treatment of the Gut. Small group sessions will be participatory in nature to allow for professional exchange between speakers and attendees. Eleven topics will be addressed in small groups, including esophageal and gastroduodenal motility, small bowel/gastroduodenal, colonic motility, anorectal motility, visceral sensitivity, interview techniques and communication skills, diagnostic approach, psychologic testing and assessment, psychologic treatments, gut pharmacology, and psychopharmacology.
