Impact of inflammatory bowel disease on quality of life and psychological distress: An Often-Neglected dimension of IBD management

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disorders with a significant and long-lasting impact on patients’ quality of life. Beyond gastrointestinal manifestations, these conditions are frequently associated with fatigue, sleep disturbances, psychological distress, and social limitations. Despite their high prevalence, psychological distress, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, remains under-recognized and insufficiently addressed in routine IBD care.
Aim: To evaluate the impact of inflammatory bowel disease on quality of life, psychological well-being, and socio-professional functioning among patients followed in a tertiary gastroenterology center.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 210 patients with confirmed IBD followed in a specialized gastroenterology clinic. Data were collected using an anonymous structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, quality of life (scored on a scale from 1 to 10), psychological symptoms (anxiety, persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts), and social and professional consequences of the disease.
Results: Among the 210 patients included, 140 had Crohn’s disease and 70 had ulcerative colitis. The mean age was 34.5 years, with a slight female predominance (54.8%). Frequent abdominal pain was reported by 73% of patients, persistent fatigue by 69%, and sleep disturbances by 61%. The overall impact of the disease on quality of life (QoL) was rated at a mean score of 6.9/10. Psychological distress was highly prevalent, with 63% of patients reporting anxiety related to disease flares, 49% experiencing prolonged sadness, and 16% reporting suicidal thoughts. Social and professional consequences were also notable: 44% had concealed their disease from relatives, 36% reported recurrent absence from work or school, and nearly one-third had modified their professional activity. Although 55% of patients reported satisfaction with their medical follow-up, only 13% had access to psychological support.
Conclusion: Inflammatory bowel disease exerts a considerable burden on patients’ quality of life, psychological well-being, and social functioning. These findings emphasize the need for a more comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to IBD management, incorporating systematic psychological assessment and access to psychological support in order to improve patients’ overall quality of life.