About Crohn's Disease/Colitis

Crohn's disease and colitis are serious, chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn's disease usually causes diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, often fever, and at times, rectal bleeding. Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss may also occur. The diseases manifest themselves in acute flare-ups alternating with remission.

Facts and Figures

• There are more than 1,000,000 diagnosed cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the United States equally split between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
• According to a 1990 study, the medical costs of IBD in the U.S. totaled $1.4-$1.8 billion annually.
• Lost labor productivity due to IBD is estimated to be $0.4-$0.8 billion annually. (This makes the total annual cost of IBD $1.8-$2.6 billion.)
• 30,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. 
• 30 percent of disease onset is between ages of 10 and 19.
• Surgery will be needed for 50-80 percent of the Crohn's disease patients.