A Group-based Patient Education Programme for High-Anxiety Patients with Crohn Disease or Ulcerative Colitis

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology 2003-07, Vol.38 (7), p.763-769
• Main Authors: LARSSON, K, SUNDBERG HJELM, M, KARLBOM, U, NORDIN, K, ANDERBERG, U. M, LÖÖF, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders - etiology; Anxiety Disorders - prevention & control; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Colitis, Ulcerative - psychology; Crohn Disease; Crohn Disease - psychology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Information; Health Status; Health-related Quality Of Life; Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale; Humans; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Program Evaluation; Psychotherapy, Group; Quality of Life - psychology; Severity of Illness Index; Sf-36; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Ulcerative Colitis
• ISSN: 0036-5521; 1502-7708
• DOI: 10.1080/00365520310003309

Background: The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD) affect a person's health-related quality of life (HRQOL). IBD patients report high levels of anxiety, which correlates with the degree of perceived dissatisfaction with the information on disease-related themes provided in routine health care. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in anxiety after participation in a group-based educational intervention for IBD patients screened for high anxiety. Methods: The programme consisted of 8 sessions, and 49 patients participated. Anxiety was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale at baseline and 6 months after intervention. HRQOL was assessed with the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) and the SF-36 health survey. Participant satisfaction with education was measured using a study-specific questionnaire. Results: No significant change on the HAD anxiety score was found at the 6-month follow-up for those who participated in the education programme despite the fact that the participants reported they had gained better knowledge of disease-related items. Furthermore, there were no significant changes over time regarding bowel symptoms, systemic symptoms, emotional functioning and social functioning of the IBDQ or generic HRQOL (SF-36). Conclusions: IBD patients with a high anxiety level reported improved satisfaction with information about disease-related items, but did not indicate any benefits in terms of reduced anxiety or improved HRQOL after participating in the education programme, not at least in the short-term perspective. In this selected group of patients, psychosocial problems other than disease-related concerns were found that warrant other approaches.