First Cross-Cultural Study of FGID Award — 2003
In 2003 the Rome Foundation provided a $25,000 grant to Doug Morgan, MD, MPH, for a study of the epidemiology of functional gastrointestinal disorders in Nicaragua. This was a population-based survey and nested case-control study carried out at the University of Nicaragua, Leon, Center for Epidemiology & Health (CIDS). The project involved translating the Rome II diagnostic questionnaire into Central American Spanish, validating the questionnaire, and a household survey of approximately 1600 subjects. The grant enabled Dr. Morgan to establish a long-term collaboration with the University of Nicaragua in four additional disease areas, thereby providing a platform for long term FGID research in the region. The core results of this study were presented at Digestive Disease Week 2008 (see below). The grant also facilitated the collaboration and parallel Rome II study in Mexico by Max Schmulson, MD.
• Becker-Dreps S, Valladares E, Pena R, Cortes L, Morgan D., Positive association between intimate partner violence and irritable bowel syndrome in Latina women: a population-based study in Nicaragua.(DDW 2008)
• Wurzelmann D, Pena R, Cortes L, Caldera T, Heidt P, Morgan D. Positive association between traumatic war experiences in the Sandinista Revolution and subsequent IBS: a population-based study in Nicaragua. (DDW 2008).
• Benshoff M, Valladares E, Pena R, Cortes L, Heidt P, Cacares M, Morgan D., Post-infectious IBS in the “non-sterile” developing nation environment: the role of parasite burden, a population-based study in Nicaragua. (DDW 2008).
• Morgan D, Cortez L, Morales J, Torres M, Heidt P, Peña R., A population-based study of IBS and the FGIDs in Latin America. (ACG 2004, Interim analysis).
• Lopez-Colombo A, Bravo-Gonzales D, Corona-Lopez A, Perez-Lopez ME, Cervantes-Ocampo M, Romero-Ogawa T, Morgan D, Schmulson M., First community-based study of FGIDs México using the Rome II modular questionnaire. (DDW 2006).
• Schmulson M, Ortiz O, Santiago M, Gutiérrez G, Gutiérrez MC, Robles G, Morgan D., Frequency of functional bowel disorders among healthy volunteers in Mexico City.(Dig Dis 2006; 24:342)
Second Cross-Cultural Study Award — 2006
In 2006, the Rome Foundation provided a grant of $24,000 to a consortium consisting of Douglas Morgan (PI), Rodolfo Peña (PI for Nicaragua), Max Schmulson (PI for México), Freddy Squella (PI for Chile), and Fermín Mearin and Enrique Rey (PIs for Spain) for the Multinational Spanish translation and validation of the Rome III Diagnostic Questionnaire in Spain and Latin America. This study is ongoing. The dissemination of the validated Spanish Rome III Diagnostic Questionnaire is targeted for 2008, and the multinational FGID epidemiology studies for 2009
For more information and an update on these cross-cultural studies in Latin America, please see an update from Dr. Morgan here.