Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, can affect many aspects of a person's life. Active IBD can threaten patients' physical and emotional well-being, as well as social functioning (1). These include a broad range of issues, including health, diet, employment, dating, parenthood and relationships with family and friends, to name a few.
The physical aspects of the disease can be daunting. Gas and abdominal cramps can be woefully painful. Diarrhea, unpredictable and often uncontrollable, can make it difficult to venture from home. The patients may suffer from malnutrition and weight loss. "Why eat?" they may ask, "when meals can have such distressing and painful consequences?" Even when patients can enjoy a meal, the inflammation of the colon can prevent nutrients from being absorbed properly. Fatigue is also a symptom that many patients experience (2).
Importance of Patient Education
Good quality of life for IBD sufferers is a major goal of patients and their physicians (1). Having a doctor who is informed about the disease, and who imparts knowledge about the physical and emotional implications of living with IBD, is crucial for patients (1). The more patients know about their disease, the better they may understand and comply with physicians' recommended course of therapy.
Being active participants, engaged in their treatment program, is the best way for patients to cope with the challenges of IBD. By learning all they can about Crohn's disease and topics such as diet and nutrition, travel tips, managing depression, quitting smoking, dating, sexuality and pregnancy, patients may feel more in control (3) of their illness and more in charge of their lives (4).
This information is intended for healthcare professionals only.
- Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Emotional Factors. (2002). Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Available at: http://www.ccfa.org/frameviewer/?url=/media/pdf/emotional.pdf&LMI=2.1. Accessed July 10, 2006.
- Depression, from Living with IBD, (n.d.), Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Available at: http://www.ccfa.org/living/depression/?LMI=2.2. Accessed July 3, 2006.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (August 10, 2005). Coping Skills. In Crohn's Disease Overview. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/crohns-disease/DS00104/DSECTION=10. Accessed June 19, 2006.
- Living with IBD. (2006). Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Available at: http://www.ccfa.org/living/?lmi=2. Accessed July 14, 2006.