Health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a Tunisian study

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) impairs healthrelated quality of life (HRQOL).

To describe HRQOL in Tunisian patients with IBD and to compare it with a reference population.

HRQOL was assessed with the Tunisian versions of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF 36) and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ-32).

Sixty two IBD patients were included (23 CD, 39 UC). The control group consisted of 62 healthy subjects. We have shown that HRQOL in Tunisian patients with IBD, measured with the SF-36, is lower than that of a Tunisian reference population without significant differences. Using the IBDQ-32, we found lower scores in women, in patients with CD, with material deprivation, and with active disease. Factors such as the experience of previous relapses or hospitalisations, disease duration, previous resective surgery, remission duration, maintenance therapy, marital status and smoking status do not have a significant impact on HRQOL in these patients.

Most patients with established inflammatory bowel disease showed only minor impairment of their HRQOL. However, women and the patients suffering from active and Crohn's disease as well as the materially deprived patients are most at risk.. Better clinical care and psychological counselling for these more vulnerable groups may improve their quality of life.