Making Sense of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Use of Blogging by People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

During the global COVID-19 pandemic one population that faced special challenges was individuals with preexisting chronic health conditions. In this study, we examined how people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) managed their autoimmune disease, considering their increased susceptibility to contracting COVID-19. Specifically, we analyzed how people with IBD made sense of their precarious position through the writing of publicly accessible blogs. We found that for IBD patients, navigating healthcare needs in the context of pandemic-related concerns and restrictions meant grappling with several salient, but conflicting tensions: separation vs. connection, safety vs. exposure, uncertainty vs. control, and resilience vs. vulnerability. People with IBD struggled to find a balance between living with IBD while keeping themselves and their loved ones safe from the virus. While the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may be over, the underlying disease, and the tensions the disease causes, is still present for people with IBD.