Psychological factors may affect the quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome patients more than the gut itself? A multicenter cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Background and AimBoth intestinal symptoms and comorbidities exist in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and influence their quality of life (QOL). More research is needed to determine how these variables impact the QOL of IBS patients. This study aimed to determine which specific factors had a higher influence on QOL and to further compare the effects of intestinal symptoms and comorbidities on QOL.MethodsIBS patients were recruited from six tertiary hospitals in different regions of China. QOL, gastrointestinal symptoms, and comorbidities were assessed by different scales. Correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and mediation model were used for statistics.ResultsFour hundred fifty‐three IBS patients (39.7% women, mean age 45 years) were included and no significant differences in QOL were found across demographic characteristics. Abnormal defecation (r = −0.398), fatigue (r = −0.266), and weakness (r = −0.286) were found to show higher correlation with QOL. More than 40% of IBS patients were found to suffer from varying degrees of anxiety or depression, and anxiety (r = −0.564) and depression (r = −0.411) were significantly negatively correlated with QOL (P < 0.001). Psychological factors showed the strongest impact (β′ = −0.451) and play a strong mediating role in the impact of physiological symptoms on QOL. Anxiety was found to be the strongest factor (β′ = −0.421).ConclusionCompared with other symptoms, psychological symptoms, particularly anxiety, are more common and have a more negative influence on QOL. The QOL of IBS patients is also significantly impacted by abnormal defecation, abdominal distension, and systemic extraintestinal somatic symptoms. In the treatment of IBS patients with unhealthy mental status, psychotherapy might be prioritized.

Social Work’s Role in Bridging Breast Cancer Care Gaps

“…This implies that the situation could be worse for members of racial and ethnic minoritized groups than the conclusions drawn by Heller et al 1 Second, the authors use multivariable analysis to consider various factors, including race and ethnicity, health insurance status, body mass index, detailed aspects of the treatment plan, and disease stage, aiming to assess these factors' independent impacts on quality of life. Consideration of other variables, including socioeconomic status (eg, education level, occupation, and family income), 2 lifestyle habits (eg, smoking, drinking, and eating habits), psychological status (eg, anxiety and depression), 3 and comorbidities, 4 could further strengthen the findings' robustness.…”