Stress coping, distress, and health perceptions in inflammatory bowel disease and community controls
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Date
2009-12
Authors
Graff, Lesley A.
Walker, John R.
Clara, Ian
Miller, Norine
Rogala, Linda
Rawsthorne, Patricia
Bernstein, Charles N.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Journal Gastroenterology
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
This study compares a community inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) sample of individuals with a matched non-IBD community sample of individuals on psychological functioning and health perceptions.
METHODS:
Participants in the population-based Manitoba IBD Cohort Study (n=388) were directly compared with sex-, age-, and region-matched controls from a national random-sample health survey on the aspects of psychological health, coping, and perceived general health.
RESULTS:
Overall, the IBD sample had lower psychological well-being and mastery, as well as higher distress than did the non-IBD controls (P<or=0.02). Those with IBD used avoidant coping significantly more often, and active coping modestly more often than did the non-IBD sample; both had similar levels of "self-soothing" behaviors. Patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis had similarly poor levels of functioning along these dimensions compared with the non-IBD sample, as did those with active disease (P<0.01). However, those with inactive disease were similar to the non-IBD sample, and had modestly higher mastery levels. Whereas nearly half of the non-IBD group reported chronic health conditions, those with IBD were threefold more likely to report poorer health (odds ratio 3.07, 95% confidence interval: 2.10-4.47). Psychological factors explained a greater amount of variance in perceived health for the IBD than for the non-IBD sample.
CONCLUSIONS:
Those with IBD have significantly poorer psychological health than do those without IBD and view their general health status more negatively, although adaptive stress-coping strategies were similar. However, when disease is quiescent there is little detriment to functioning. Active disease should be a flag to consider psychological needs in the care of an IBD patient.
Description
Keywords
Inflammatory Bowel Disease, distress, perceptions, Bernstein
Citation
Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Dec;104(12):2959-69