‘Food allergy’, ‘eating too fast’, ‘absent peristalsis’, and ‘stress’: patients’ beliefs about what causes supragastric belching

Understanding patients’ beliefs about their medical condition is of significant importance as they drive individuals’ attempts to cope with that condition. This study aimed to examine the beliefs patients with supragastric belching (SGB) have about their condition and the relationship between these beliefs, symptom report, and clinical and demographic variables. One hundred eight patients (67.6% female, mean age 44.07, range 18–80), with a consultant confirmed diagnosis of SGB following high resolution oesophageal manometry and 24-hour pH monitoring studies completed the Brief-Illness Perceptions Questionnaire, which assesses beliefs about the symptoms, chronicity, consequences, personal and treatment control, illness coherence, perceived causes, and patients’ emotional response to their SGB. A range of demographic and illness-related variables was also collated. Template analysis was undertaken on the 324 free-text responses relating to patients’ perceived causes of SGB. Fourteen percent of patients reported not knowing what had caused their SGB. The top four causes identified by the remaining 93 patients were dietary, behavioral, other GI conditions, and psychological. Only 34% considered behavioral factors of importance. There were no significant associations between gender and age in relation to illness beliefs. Patients who believed in a behavioral cause of their SGB had significantly stronger beliefs in having personal control over their SGB (U = 980, z = −2.18, P = 0.03). This study has progressed our understanding of patients’ personal beliefs about SGB and provides insights into important cognitive components to address in any intervention. Simple messages around the cause of SGB and correction of misinformation may help in the effective management of this condition.