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Impact of demographic factors, medication and symptoms on disease-specific quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease

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Abstract

Objectives

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.

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Abbreviations

CD:

Crohn’s disease

EFCCA:

European Federation of Crohn’s and Colitis Associations

HRQoL:

Health-related quality of life

IBD:

Inflammatory bowel disease

IBDQ:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire

IC:

Indeterminate/unspecified colitis

IPAA:

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis

UC:

Ulcerative colitis

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for printing and mailing the questionnaires was provided by the Schering–Plough Corporation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, P.O. Box 340, 00029, HUS, Helsinki, Finland

    Johanna Haapamäki, Ulla Turunen, Martti A. Färkkilä & Perttu E. T. Arkkila

  2. Group Administration, Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, Helsinki, Finland

    Risto P. Roine

Authors
  1. Johanna Haapamäki
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  2. Ulla Turunen
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  3. Risto P. Roine
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  4. Martti A. Färkkilä
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  5. Perttu E. T. Arkkila
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Correspondence to Johanna Haapamäki.

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Haapamäki, J., Turunen, U., Roine, R.P. et al. Impact of demographic factors, medication and symptoms on disease-specific quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease. Qual Life Res 18, 961–969 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9514-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9514-y

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