
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Appendicitis epidemiology and demographics
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Appendicitis is one of the most prominent causes of acute abdominal pain. It is a common disease in both Europe and America, and each year, approximately 100 people per 100,000 exhibit developing cases of appendicitis. Younger people, in the age group of 10-19, have a higher chance of developing appendicitis. Males are more likely than females to develop appendicitis. Caucasians are more likely to develop appendicitis than non-Caucasians.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Epidemiology and Demographics
Prevalence
- One out of every 15 people (7%) will develop acute appendicitis in their lifetime.[1]
Incidence
- In Europe and America, the incidence of appendicitis is about 100 per 100,000 patients per year.[2]
- The peak incidence occurs between the second and third decades of life.[1]
- Appendicitis is one of the most frequent diagnoses for emergency department visits resulting in hospitalization among children aged 5–17 years in the United States.[3]
Age
- In the United States, the highest incidence of appendicitis is found in the age group of 10-19 years old.[4]
- Appendicitis is more uncommon in age extremities (less than 5 years and greater than 50 years of age).[1]
Gender
- Males present with symptoms of appendicitis 1.4 times as much compared to women across all age groups.[5]
Race
- Appendicitis rates are 1.5 times higher in Caucasians than in other ethnicities.[1]
Developed Countries
- Appendicitis is more common in industrialized countries in Europe and America where diets are more consistent with highly refined foods that are low in dietary fibers.[1]
Developing Countries
- In developing countries, the chances of appendicitis are lower because of the typical agrarian diet that is composed of more high-fiber foods as opposed to refined food.[1]
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Yelon, Jay A. & Luchette, Fred A. (2014), Geriatric Trauma and Critical Care (1st ed.), New York, New York: Springer
- ↑ Ohmann C, Franke C, Kraemer M, Yang Q (2002). “[Status report on epidemiology of acute appendicitis]”. Chirurg (in German). 73 (8): 769–76. PMID 12425152. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Appendicitis. Wikipedia (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appendicitis#Clinical Accessed on January 29, 2016
- ↑ Addiss DG, Shaffer N, Fowler BS, Tauxe RV (1990). “The epidemiology of appendicitis and appendectomy in the United States”. Am. J. Epidemiol. 132 (5): 910–25. PMID 2239906. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Appendicitis. Wikipedia (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appendicitis#Clinical Accessed on January 29, 2016
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Farwa Haideri [2]
