Impact of inflammatory bowel diseases on the intimate lives of youths: Creating a brief screening questionnaire

Abstract

ObjectivesThe objectives were to describe the challenges faced by youths with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in their intimate lives before the onset of sexual activity and develop a screening tool to detect early difficulties.MethodsWe conducted a cross‐sectional qualitative study via semi‐structured interviews with 15–19‐year‐olds diagnosed with IBD. To be eligible for inclusion, these adolescents had to respond having not yet started their sexual life. This led to a collaborative development of a detection tool with a multidisciplinary team to evaluate adolescents' intimate life stage and to early screen difficulties.ResultsFifteen subjects were recruited. Among them eight were males, 10 were followed for Crohn's disease while five were followed for ulcerative colitis. The median age was 16 years. Nine out of fifteen teenagers felt unprepared and reluctant for intimate relationship. Teenagers who have started their romantic journey, expressed satisfaction with their intimate lives, but the possibility of experiencing diarrhea or abdominal pain during intimate moments may be a concern.ConclusionThe study highlights a general reluctance among adolescents with IBD to engage in intimate relationships, and IBD symptoms may be a concern for intimate life. It resulted in the creation of a brief detection tool allowing clinicians to early screen and address intimate life issues, fostering better support for this vulnerable group's challenges.