Patients' information-seeking activity is associated with treatment compliance in inflammatory bowel disease patients

Despite the chronic and relapsing nature of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), at least 30% to 45% of the patients are noncompliant to treatment. IBD patients often seek information about their disease.

To examine the association between information-seeking activity and treatment compliance among IBD patients. To compare information sources and concerns between compliant and noncompliant patients.

We used data from the Swiss IBD cohort study, and from a qualitative survey conducted to assess information sources and concerns. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for noncompliance were calculated. Differences in the proportions of information sources and concerns were compared between compliant and noncompliant patients.

A total of 512 patients were included. About 18% (n = 99) of patients were reported to be noncompliant to drug treatment and two-thirds (n = 353) were information seekers. The OR for noncompliance among information seekers was 2.44 (95%CI: 1.34-4.41) after adjustment for confounders and major risk factors. General practitioners were 15.2% more often consulted (p = 0.019) among compliant patients, as were books and television (+13.1%; p = 0.048), whereas no difference in proportions was observed for sources such as internet or gastroenterologists. Information on tips for disease management were 14.2% more often sought among noncompliant patients (p = 0.028). No difference was observed for concerns on research and development on IBD or therapies.

In Switzerland, IBD patients noncompliant to treatment were more often seeking disease-related information than compliant patients. Daily management of symptoms and disease seemed to be an important concern of those patients.