Effect of Health Maintenance Program Related to Ulcerative Colitis on Selected Patient’s Outcomes during Remission Phase

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a relapsing and remitting inflammatory bowel disease that causes a significant patient's morbidity through its effect on overall quality of life. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of health maintenance program related to ulcerative colitis on selected patient's outcomes during remission phase. Setting: Medical outpatient clinics at the National Liver Institute, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Sampling: A purposive sample of 150 adult patients had ulcerative colitis were selected and assigned alternatively into two equal groups (study and control): 75 patients for each group. Instruments: Four instruments were used; Structured interview questionnaire, Simple clinical colitis activity index, Fatigue severity scale and The RAND 36-item health survey. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in simple clinical colitis activity index for study group from (2.27±0.24 to 2.02±0.07) post program compared to control group. The mean score of fatigue severity decreased post program from (43.57±10.29 to 24.24±7.49 in study group compared to control group from (42.78±7.36 to 43.02±7.61). Additionally, total mean score of quality of life was significantly improved post program in the study group compared to control group. Furthermore, after 3 months of implementing program there was a significant improvement in weight, BMI and total calories among the study group compared to control group. Conclusion: Health maintenance program had a significant positive effect on reducing mean score of ulcerative colitis symptoms and fatigue, additionally improving quality of life of patients with ulcerative colitis. Recommendations: A supervised health education and maintenance program that includes medication adherence, nutritional guidelines with recommended diet, and stress reduction techniques should be offered in the outpatient clinics to cope with ulcerative colitis.