Disability in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Correlations with Quality of Life and Patient’s Characteristics

Abstract

Background Inflammatory bowel diseases may cause significant disability. However, little is known regarding the life domains where patients encounter most limitations. Objectives To assess patients' overall disability and determine the life domains where most restrictions were applied. Secondarily, we sought for possible relationships among disability, quality of life (HRQoL), and population characteristics. Method The study lasted for two years (2013–2015) and included 200 patients [52% ulcerative colitis (UC)] from a referral centre. Disability was evaluated using the 36-item version of WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire. The influence of population characteristics on overall disability was assessed with linear regression. Results Crohn's disease (CD) patients showed greater overall disability compared to UC (19.22 versus 15.01, p = 0.001), with higher scores in the domains of relationships, life activities, and participation. Disability was negatively associated with HRQoL (p < 0.001). Long activity, extensive disease, rural residence, and employment independently influenced the overall disability in both groups. Additionally, significant influence was recorded for lower education in the UC and for operation and celibacy in the CD group. Conclusions CD patients were facing more limitations compared to those with UC, especially in the domains of relationships, activities, and participation. Other than clinical factors, sociodemographic characteristics were also associated with increased disability.

The Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada 2018: Quality of Life

“…Disability can be defined as chronic limitations that hinder the ability to engage in usual daily activities and is an objective way of understanding the impact of IBD in someone’s day-to-day life (56, 57). Disability is a relatively new area of study in IBD.…”

“…But this metric alone is not sufficient, given it does not capture all the important aspects of the burden of this condition. Additionally, with a relapsing/remitting condition like IBD, disability may be temporary and difficult to address (57).…”

“…The greatest disability restrictions to QOL are described in the domains of interpersonal relationships, life activities, social participation and mental well-being (57, 58), although there has been some discrepancy in the degree of disability between populations. These discrepancies may be related, in part, to differences between populations and cultures, as well as tools and means of assessing disability.…”

Self-care: the way to find balance in life : Development and evaluation of a self-care questionnaire for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

“…Self-image, social relations, attitude to life, and sense of well-being have been described as crucial (9). Studies have shown an increasing sickness and reduced health status and HRQOL among patients with IBD when the patients are unemployed or on sick leave (71)(72)(73). Adults are affected by loss of productivity as a result of sick leave, unemployment, and early retirement (74).…”

Prevalence of Older Adult Disability and Primary Health Care Responsiveness in Low-Income Communities

“…Within the elder population, the prevalence of disability is higher among women, the oldest age brackets, individuals with a lower level of education, and residents of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as demonstrated by studies conducted in several countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East [ 5 , 8 , 12 , 13 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Knowing the functional status of the elder population is important to identify the most vulnerable members and their health needs.…”