Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is comprised of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are autoimmune chronic inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract. IBD symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue, which significantly impact patients’ quality of life. Hence, recognizing and researching these symptoms is critical to creating and implementing targeted interventions that can enhance the wellbeing of individuals with IBD. This project’s aim is to analyze the baseline symptoms and quality of life of individuals with IBD who are enrolled in a comprehensive self-management intervention program. For the study, we utilized a randomized controlled trial where 23 participants with IBD, recruited from March to December 2023, completed an electronic survey through REDCap. The mean age of the participants within the sample was 39.39 years, and 78.26% of participants in the sample had Crohn’s disease. In the survey, the participants rated the severity of symptoms (abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, joint pain, nausea, gas, and urgency) over one week on a scale of 0-10, with larger numbers corresponding to greater severity. Additionally, participants completed a 10-question short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (SIBDQ) on a scale of 10-70, in which a score less than 50 indicates poor health-related quality of life. Among all patients, fatigue was the symptom with the highest severity (M: 6.70, SD: 2.51). The following most severe symptoms were bloating (M: 4.22, SD: 2.49), abdominal pain (M: 3.87, SD: 2.16), joint pain (M: 3.83, SD: 3.49), and nausea (M: 3.57, SD: 3.01). The total mean SIBDQ score for the sample was 44.17 (SD: 11.12), indicating low health-related quality of life (<50) among our sample. Our study’s results suggest that future IBD research should aim to create interventions that not only improve quality of life, but also improve extraintestinal symptoms, such as fatigue and bloating, in patients with IBD.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the gastrointestinal tract, impacting an estimated 3-million people in the United States. IBD can significantly hinder quality of life and is related to increased rates of depression and anxiety.  Treatments focused on medications often do not consider the social determinants of health. Through a holistic approach, the Comprehensive Self-Management (CSM) IBD study at the University of Washington sought to empower patients in their symptom management. Those randomized into the intervention group participated in an 8-week intervention that considered external factors, like exercise, diet, sleep, life stressors, and relaxation, which could contribute to IBD symptoms. Participants were adults over 18-years old. Patients in the treatment and control group completed an end of study interview about their study and intervention experience. This project's aims were 1) to describe the process of interviewing participants; and 2) to examine the major themes associated with participant experience with the intervention based on the end of study interviews. I conducted interviews over the phone, asking patients about their experience with stool samples, satisfaction with the study, food diaries, intervention modules, and most positive or negative aspects of study participation. Both quantitative findings on participant demographics and qualitative findings from the interview surveys are presented. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. Some positive themes from the intervention included accessibility, lifestyle changes, and feeling supported. Some challenges included symptom overlap between IBD and irritable bowel syndrome, recalling daily diet, and implementing study skills when disease was inactive. 90% of participants would recommend this study to a friend, and 70% considered study participation to be easy or very easy. These findings will allow for future improvements and/or revisions to the CSM intervention and the interview process. This will help increase the resources available for IBD patients.  

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic autoimmune condition encompassing ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, significantly affects individuals' health and quality of life. This study centers on patient activation and self-efficacy, which are critical concepts in the management of IBD. Patient activation—encompassing an individual’s understanding, abilities, and confidence in managing their health—is measured using the Patient Activation Measure. Similarly, self-efficacy, which relates to one's confidence in carrying out behaviors necessary to achieve specific performance goals, is assessed by the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease Scale. These factors are essential as they enable patients to actively participate in their healthcare, potentially improving outcomes. This study aims to explore patient activation and self-efficacy among individuals with IBD enrolled in a Comprehensive Self-Management Intervention. Participants in a randomized controlled trial completed baseline measures and follow-ups at 3 and 6 months. By assessing change in baseline to 3 months in patient activation and self-efficacy, the study seeks to understand how this comprehensive intervention influences the self-management behaviors of individuals living with IBD. We expect that patients receiving the intervention will exhibit enhanced self-efficacy, indicating a positive direction in IBD self-management practices.