title: Finnish patients with inflammatory bowel disease have fewer symptoms and are more satisfied with their treatment than patients in the previous European survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have a negative impact on quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life in a large group of Finnish IBD patients and to compare it with that observed in a recent survey covering several other European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) questionnaire, comprising questions about IBD symptoms, diagnosis, therapy, extraintestinal manifestations and their impact on patients' quality of life, was sent to 3852 members of the Finnish Crohn and Colitis Association. The response rate was 63%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IBD was diagnosed by a specialist in over 96% of cases and 94% of patients were continuously followed-up by a specialist. Fifty-eight percent of the patients had had IBD symptoms for over a year before consulting a specialist. The frequency of symptoms was lower in the Finnish patients and 93% of patients were satisfied with their current treatment compared with 76% in the European survey. For Crohn's disease, the rate of surgery was lower than that in the European survey (43% versus 52%). The patients reported improved quality of life after surgery, but 67% of patients with Crohn's disease and 34% with ulcerative colitis reported recurrence of symptoms. Comorbidity with ankylosing spondylitis was 22 times more common than in the general Finnish population and 49% of the patients suffered from joint pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Finnish IBD patients are more satisfied with their treatment than those studied in the European survey. In Finland, gastroenterologists are usually responsible for the care, but the delay before the diagnosis remains long.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Group Administration, Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, Finland. johanna.haapamaki@hus.fi
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haapamäki
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Turunen
authors.forename: Risto P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Roine
authors.forename: Martti A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Färkkilä
authors.forename: Perttu E T
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Arkkila
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires