title: IBD and health-related quality of life -- discovering the true impact.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) significantly impact the patient's quality of life, no European-level data exists on patients' perspectives. The primary objective of this survey was to obtain an international perspective of the impact of IBD on patients' lives. Secondary objectives included obtaining a better understanding of the quality of care, access to care, and differences between countries, age groups, and sub-groups of IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey questionnaire consisted of 52 questions in six categories. The survey was translated into ten languages, tested on volunteers, and promoted across 25 national IBD associations. Data was collected anonymously online, and participation was optional.
  
  
  RESULTS
  4670 patients completed the survey. Most respondents received a final diagnosis within a year from noticing first symptoms, but 67% had to visit emergency clinic at least once before diagnosis. 85% had been hospitalized in the last five years. 64% felt that gastroenterologists should ask more probing questions and 54% that they did not get to tell something potentially important to their physician. Most respondents experienced symptoms weekly also in remission. Most had been absent from work due to IBD and 24% had received unfair comments about their work performance. 45% felt that IBD had negatively affected their performance in educational settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this survey can be used in defining strategic priorities and planning projects and awareness raising activities. The unmet needs of IBD patients can be better demonstrated and communicated to the public, health service managers and politicians.
authors.affiliation: European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: sannalonnfors@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lönnfors
authors.affiliation: European Crohn's and Colitis Organization (ECCO), Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: Severine.Vermeire@uzleuven.be.
authors.forename: Severine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vermeire
authors.affiliation: European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: marco.greco@efcca.org.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.affiliation: European Crohn's and Colitis Organization (ECCO), Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: DHommes@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hommes
authors.affiliation: European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: chayim.bell@efcca.org.
authors.forename: Chayim
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: luisa.avedano@efcca.org.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Avedano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D004522:Educational Status; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D004651:Employment; D005060:Europe; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000592:standards*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006306:Health Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D018582:Sick Leave; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Crohn's disease; Health-related quality of life; Inflammatory bowel disease; Ulcerative colitis