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Owsianko N, Romańczuk-Osenka N, Szczerbakow M, Pikora K, Sowa K, Daniluk U, Rogalski P, Świdnicka-Siergiejko A, Antonowicz S, Krzyżak M, Maślach D, Dąbrowski A, Daniluk J. Questionnaire-Based Study of 81 Patients in Poland to Evaluate the Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality of Life and Mental State from February to June 2021. Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e938243. [PMID: 36316965 PMCID: PMC9636840 DOI: 10.12659/msm.938243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic affected many people worldwide, including those with chronic diseases. Our objective was to analyze its influence on medical care and the course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Poland. Material/Methods In 2021, 81 patients in Poland with IBD completed an original anonymous questionnaire about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the course of their disease and mental status. The printed questionnaire was distributed to IBD patients treated at the Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic of the University Clinical Hospital in Białystok, and an online questionnaire was sent to patients via social media. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-squared test, with a significance level of P<0.05. Results The study group consisted of 46 women and 35 men with a mean age of 32.42 years. Fifty-nine patients had ulcerative colitis and 22 had Crohn disease. Patients reported significant deterioration in medication availability (50.62%) and restricted access to gastroenterology outpatient clinics (51.90%) (P<0.05). Of patients who contracted COVID-19, 89.47% did not require hospitalization, 32.10% (26/81) were asymptomatic, mild, or moderate, despite immunosuppressive biological treatment (27.16%, 22/81), or steroids (18.52%, 15/81). Over 50% of respondents stated the pandemic negatively affected their mental state and 30% of them associated that with worsening IBD. Conclusions During the pandemic, respondents were mainly concerned with difficulties in accessing the gastroenterology clinic and limited drug availability. The pandemic negatively affected patients’ mental state. In cases of COVID-19 disease, patients with IBD were mostly asymptomatic and did not require hospitalization, despite therapy affecting the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Owsianko
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Natalia Romańczuk-Osenka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Martyna Szczerbakow
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Pikora
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Sowa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Urszula Daniluk
- Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition and Allergology with the Pulmonology Subdivision, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Paweł Rogalski
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | | | - Stefania Antonowicz
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Michalina Krzyżak
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Ergonomics, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Dominik Maślach
- Department of Public Health, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Andrzej Dąbrowski
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Jarosław Daniluk
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
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