Gut Liver.  2020 Jul;14(4):459-467. 10.5009/gnl19107.

Unmet Psychosocial Needs of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Ulcerative Colitis: Results from the Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study in Korea

• Moon JR
• Lee CK
• Hong SN
• Im JP
• Ye BD
• Cha JM
• Jung SA
• Lee KM
• Park DI
• Jeen YT
• Park YS
• Cheon JH
• Kim H
• Seo B
• Kim Y
• Kim HJ
• the MOSAIK study group of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases (KASID)

• KMID: 2504155
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5009/gnl19107

Abstract

Background/Aims
Limited data are available regarding psychosocial distress at the time of diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC). We investigated the psychosocial burden and factors related to poor health-related quality of life (HRQL) among patients newly diagnosed with moderate-to-severe UC who were affiliated with the nationwide prospective cohort study.
Methods
Within the first 4 weeks of UC diagnosis, all patients were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), and 12-Item Short Form (SF-12) health survey. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify factors associated with HRQL.
Results
Between August 2014 and February 2017, 355 patients completed questionnaires. Significant mood disorders requiring psychological interventions, defined by a HADS score ≥11, were identified in 16.7% (anxiety) and 20.6% (depression) of patients. Patients with severe disease were more likely to have presenteeism, loss of work productivity, and activity loss than those with moderate disease (all p<0.05). Significant mood disorders had the strongest negative relationship with total IBDQ score, which indicates disease-specific HRQL (β coefficient: –22.1 for depression and –40.0 for anxiety, p<0.001). The scores of all SF-12 dimensions, which indicate general HRQL, were remarkably decreased in the study population compared indirectly with previously reported scores in the general population. The Mayo score, C-reactive protein level, and white blood cell count showed significant negative associations with the IBDQ score (p<0.05).
Conclusions
Psychosocial screening and timely interventions should be incorporated into the initial care of patients newly diagnosed with UC.

Keyword

Colitis, ulcerative; Patient reported outcome measures; Quality of life; Anxiety; Depression