title: Assessment of disease specific knowledge and health-related quality of life among United States military veterans with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between patient disease knowledge of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and health related quality of life (HRQoL) and identify patient and disease related predictors of patient knowledge of IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study of IBD patients with an established diagnosis of IBD longer than 3 mo prior to enrollment. The Crohn's and colitis knowledge score (CCKNOW) and short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (SIBDQ) were self-administered to assess patient knowledge of IBD and HRQoL, respectively. Demographic and disease characteristics were abstracted from the electronic medical record. The correlation between CCKNOW and SIBDQ scores was assessed by a linear regression model. Associations of patient knowledge and the variables of interest were calculated using ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 101 patients were recruited. Caucasian race, younger age at diagnosis, and having a college or post-graduate degree were significantly associated with higher CCKNOW scores. Patients with CD had higher CCKNOW scores compared to patients with ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease type unclassified, P < 0.01. There was no significant correlation between overall CCKNOW and SIBDQ scores (r (2) = 0.34, P = 0.13). The knowledge sub-domain of diet in CCKNOW was negatively correlated with HRQoL (r (2) = 0.69, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IBD diagnosis at a younger age in addition to Caucasian race and higher education were significantly associated with higher knowledge about IBD. However, patient knowledge of IBD was not correlated with HRQoL. Further studies are required to study the effect of patient knowledge of IBD on other clinical outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Jason K Hou, Hashem B El-Serag, Houston VA HSRD Center of Excellence, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Jason K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Jason K Hou, Hashem B El-Serag, Houston VA HSRD Center of Excellence, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Turkeltaub
authors.affiliation: Jason K Hou, Hashem B El-Serag, Houston VA HSRD Center of Excellence, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: McCarty Iii
authors.affiliation: Jason K Hou, Hashem B El-Serag, Houston VA HSRD Center of Excellence, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Hashem B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: El-Serag
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D058014:Veterans Health / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Crohn’s and Colitis Knowledge Score; Crohn’s disease; Health related quality of life; Short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire; Ulcerative colitis