Anxiety and fear aggravate impact of ulcerative colitis in patients

In this study, researchers from Poland identified determinants of the level of anxiety and fear in a group of patients with ulcerative colitis. Their findings were published in the journal Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine.

• Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease the affects the mucous membrane of the large intestine.
• It manifests itself through diarrhea with blood, mucus and pus, and progresses with periods of relapses and remissions.
• Treatment for ulcerative colitis is a long-term process that not only includes improving a patient’s clinical condition and quality of life, but also minimizing disease-related anxiety and fears.
• This prospective study included 102 patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.
• The researchers collected data using the following:
  • Clinical Disease Activity Index
  • Rating Form of IBD Patients Concerns (RFIPC)
  • A questionnaire
• They also used statistical parametric and non-parametric tests to analyze the collected data.
• The researchers found that 64 percent of the patients were in the active phase of the disease.
• Most of these patients (73 percent) expressed high levels of fear and anxiety about the impact of ulcerative colitis, their intimate life, complications of the disease and stigmatization.
• Among these concerns, disease complications and impact caused the highest levels of fear and anxiety among the patients.

The researchers reported that, besides the disease and its symptoms, high levels of anxiety and fear influence the psychosocial functioning of patients with ulcerative colitis.

Journal Reference:

Kozka M, Skowron W, Bodys-Cupak I. DETERMINANTS OF THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY AND FEARS IN A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine. February 2019;26(2):337–340. DOI: 10.26444/aaem/94651