The Burden of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, 2006

Digestive and liver diseases are a source of significant morbidity, mortality, and health-care costs for the U.S. population. An annual report of the toll of these diseases could be helpful to clinicians, policymakers, and researchers.

To describe the epidemiology of gastrointestinal and liver diseases in the United States using data from privately and publicly held databases.