Do Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients with anxiety and depressive symptoms receive the care they need?

Background and aims: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms may not receive the care they need. Provision of care requires insight into the factors affecting these psychiatric symptoms. The study was designed to examine the extent to which: (1) IBD patients with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms receive mental treatment and (2) clinical and socio-demographic variables are associated with these symptoms. Methods: 231 adult IBD patients (79% response rate), attending a tertiary care center, completed standardized measures on anxiety and depressive symptoms (HADS), quality of life (SF-12) and mental health care use (TIC-P). Diagnosis and disease activity were determined by the gastroenterologist. Results: 43% had high levels of anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, indicative of a psychiatric disorder (HADS ≥ 8), of whom 18% received psychological treatment and 21% used psychotropic medication. In multivariate analysis, high disease activity was associated with anxiety (OR = 2.72 | p < 0.03) and depression (OR = 3.36 | p < 0.01), while Crohn's disease was associated with anxiety (OR = 2.60 | p < 0.03). Conclusions: Despite high levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and poor quality of life, psychiatric complaints in IBD patients were undertreated. Screening for and treatment of psychiatric symptoms should become an integral part of IBD medical care.