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Published on: September 22, 2019
Inflammatory bowel disease
Eva Szigethy1, Laura McLafferty, Alka Goyal
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. szigethye@upmc.edu
Insights
Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often leads to psychological distress like anxiety and depression. Interventions can help children and adolescents cope, but their impact on IBD itself requires more research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, presents significant medical challenges.
- Young individuals with IBD frequently experience psychological and psychosocial difficulties, including high rates of depression and anxiety.
- The etiology of these psychological issues is multifactorial, involving IBD-related factors (cytokines, steroid treatments) and psychosocial stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the etiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of pediatric IBD.
- To examine the psychological and psychosocial sequelae associated with IBD in children and adolescents.
- To discuss empirically supported interventions for managing these challenges.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on pediatric IBD.
- Analysis of the interplay between IBD, its treatments, and psychological outcomes.
- Evaluation of the evidence for various psychological interventions.
Main Results:
- Pediatric IBD is linked to substantial medical morbidity and significant psychological distress.
- Depression and anxiety are common, stemming from both disease-related biological factors and psychosocial stressors.
- Interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy and educational resources show promise in improving mental health and quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Psychological and psychosocial support is crucial for children and adolescents with IBD.
- Current interventions effectively address anxiety and depression, enhancing health-related quality of life.
- Further research is needed to ascertain the effects of these interventions on IBD severity and disease course.
Abstract:
This article reviews the etiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and associated psychological sequelae in children and adolescents with this lifelong disease. Pediatric-onset IBD, consisting of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, has significant medical morbidity and in many young persons is also associated with psychological and psychosocial challenges. Depression and anxiety are particularly prevalent and have a multifaceted etiology, including IBD-related factors such as cytokines and steroids used to treat IBD and psychosocial stress. A growing number of empirically supported interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and educational resources, help youth and their parents cope with IBD as well as the psychological and psychosocial sequelae. While there is convincing evidence that such interventions can help improve anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life, their effects on IBD severity and course await further study.
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