Study of the association between stress coping strategies, emotional symptoms and quality of life in a sample of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Studies about inflammatory bowel disease suggest that there are several psychological factors that could influence in the pathogenesis and illness course. In a 103 patients' sample, the association between stress coping strategies and their effect in emotional symptoms and quality of life, as well as these factors differences among Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients, are analyzed. It was observed that the most maladaptive stress coping strategies were used by those patients with higher anxiety and depression levels and worse quality of life. Substantial differences in these factors in relation to illness type were not confirmed though. The results do reveal the importance of using effective coping strategies to improve patients' emotional symptoms as well as quality of life.