title: The influence of demographic and disease-related factors on health-related quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to analyse the health-related quality of life of patients with ulcerative colitis and to assess in what way demographic and disease-related factors influence patients' experiences of this, in order to interpret the results of health-related quality of life assessment more correctly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a cross-sectional evaluation of 300 consecutive patients with ulcerative colitis from the catchment areas of Linköping University Hospital and Orebro University Hospital in Sweden. Health-related quality of life was measured using four questionnaires: the IBDQ, the RFIPC, the SF-36 and the PGWB. Disease activity was evaluated using a one-week symptom diary, blood tests and rigid sigmoidoscopy. Demographic factors (gender, age, civil status, educational level), disease-related factors (disease duration, disease extent, disease activity) and presence of co-morbidity were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Health-related quality of life was mainly impaired in the psychological and social areas and to a much lesser degree in physical areas. Patients with relapse had significantly more disease-related worries and concerns (the RFIPC), more impaired social functioning (the IBDQ and SF-36), and a lower feeling of well being (the IBDQ, the SF-36 and the PGWB). However, their physical function (SF-36) was no worse than patients in remission. Besides the symptom burden of the current disease, co-morbidity and female gender were associated with a lower health-related quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To correctly interpret health-related quality of life assessments, it is necessary to consider co-morbidity and gender distribution in addition to the symptom burden of the disease studied.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden. Henrik.Hjortswang@lio.se
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hjortswang
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Järnerot
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Curman
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sandberg-Gertzén
authors.forename: Curt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tysk
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blomberg
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almer
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden