Impact of demographic factors, medication and symptoms on disease-specific quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relation of demographic factors, medication and symptoms to health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and to identify patients in need of special support.


METHODS
A questionnaire packet comprising the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) and the European Federation of Crohn's and Colitis Associations' (EFCCA) Survey Questionnaire was sent to 3,852 adult members of the Crohn and Colitis Association of Finland. IBDQ was used for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the EFCCA questionnaire gave information about demographics, symptoms and medication.


RESULTS
Altogether 2,386 questionnaires (62%) were available for analysis. Patients reporting symptoms affecting leisure activities or work had significantly lower total IBDQ scores (indicating worse HRQoL) than patients with less disturbing symptoms. Satisfaction with current therapy, female gender and age affected the scores. Subjects who had undergone surgery scored lower than those who had not. Patients currently receiving corticosteroids and newly diagnosed patients had lower scores than other patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In everyday practice, paying attention to and reducing patients' symptoms and their impact on daily life is important when aiming at improving HRQoL. Special attention should be given to patients who have undergone surgery, and to newly diagnosed patients.
Haapamäki
Johanna
J
Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, P.O. Box 340, 00029, HUS, Helsinki, Finland. johanna.haapamaki@hus.fi
Turunen
Ulla
U
Roine
Risto P
RP
Färkkilä
Martti A
MA
Arkkila
Perttu E T
PE
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires