P-079 YI The Association Between Anxiety and Depression and Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause major life challenges. Their lifelong progression is associated with substantial psychological burden, which increases the risk of mental health disorder. Symptoms of anxiety and depression have been reported in patients with IBD independent of disease activity. IBD outcomes have further been reported to affect the health related quality of life in the individuals suffering from this chronic disorder. Our study examines the association between depression and anxiety and health related quality of life in IBD patients. Method(s): A prospective cohort study was conducted over a 6-month period. Standardised questionnaires were collected at baseline and at 6 months using Lime Survey and included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Health related quality of life was captured using Short IBD questionnaire (SIBDQ). The relationship between depression and anxiety score, and health related quality of life was assessed using the Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. Result(s): Sixty respondents with age range 18 to 76 were included. The majority (65%) were between ages 18 to 40; 61% were female, and 85% had CD. The mean (SD) HADS anxiety score at baseline and 6 months were 8.4 (3.3) and 7.4 (4.5); depression scores were 3.7 (3.0) and 4.3 (4.0), respectively. The SIBDQ total score at the baseline was significantly correlated with HADS anxiety (r = 0.51, P < 0.0001) and HADS depression scores (r = 0.64, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the SIBDQ total score at the 6-month visit was also significantly correlated with the HADS anxiety (r = 0.63, P < 0.0001) and HADS depression scores (r = 0.67, P < 0.0001). Conclusion(s): The data shows a significant correlation between SIBDQ total score, and HADS anxiety and depression score. Clinical anxiety and depression could be a result of IBD and various life challenges, which occur during young adult lives as majority of our patients, were under the age of 40. During this time major life events such as university education, graduation, finding a job, marriage, having children, and stabilizing self for a lifetime occurs. This can lead to anxiety and depression symptoms especially in context of dealing with chronic life long illness.