Purpose: To identify the integrated impact of psychological, social, and clinical factors onto the quality of life (QOL) in the patients with Crohn's disease.
Subjects and methods: Two hundred twenty two out-patients participated in a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in which health-related QOL (SF36), disease-specific symptoms, psychological adaptation and social support were measured. Multi-variable regression models were used to test the impact of clinical, psychological, and social factors on the patient's QOL and symptom reports.
Results: The patient's symptoms and health-related QOL were significantly associated not only with disease activities, but also with the patient's psychological adaptation and the quality of social support.
Conclusion: The results strongly suggest that a psychoeducational intervention may be useful in combination with a clinical intervention to improve the patient's QOL.