Quality of life in Malaysian children with inflammatory bowel disease: An understudied population

• Published in: Journal of paediatrics and child health 2022-11, Vol.58 (11), p.1972-1979
• Main Authors: Lee, Gin W, Chew, Kee S, Wong, Sean Y, Chong, Sze Y, Ong, Sik Y, Lee, Way S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Child; children; Childrens health; Chronic Disease; Colitis, Ulcerative - complications; Crohn Disease - complications; Crohn Disease - diagnosis; Cross-Sectional Studies; health‐related quality of life (HRQoL); Humans; Inflammatory bowel disease; inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Pediatrics; Quality of Life; Severity of Illness Index; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1034-4810; 1440-1754
• DOI: 10.1111/jpc.16130

Aim Quality of life (QoL) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often impaired by underlying disease. We evaluated factors affecting health‐related QoL (HRQoL) in Malaysian children with IBD. Methods A cross‐sectional study using IMPACT‐III questionnaires evaluating HRQoL in children aged 8–17 years with duration of IBD of ≥6 months was conducted. IMPACT‐III, a validated instrument designed to measure HRQoL in children with IBD, was used. Higher IMPACT‐III (maximum = 100) score indicates better HRQoL. Impact of socio‐demographic and clinical factors of IBD on the HRQoL was evaluated. Paediatric Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) activity indices were used to classify disease severity. Results A total of 75 children (UC = 44, CD = 41; mean (SD) age at diagnosis 8.2 (3.5) years) were interviewed at mean age of 12.8 (2.7) years. Mean IMPACT‐III score was significantly lower in children with more severe disease (mild: 71.8 (13.6) vs. moderate: 65.5 (10.9) vs. severe: 46.3 (14.5); P