AGA launches My IBD Life campaign to provide resources, support for patients, physicians
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With recent data highlighting the emotional and social challenges of inflammatory bowel disease, AGA has launched the My IBD Life campaign to address the growing need for psychosocial support in patient care.
According to an AGA press release, survey results from 1,026 patients with IBD aged 18 to 59 years found that nearly two-thirds reported comorbid conditions, with more than one in three reporting a diagnosis of anxiety (36%) or depression (35%) — rates “well above” the U.S. averages of 19% and 8%, respectively.
Despite these high rates of psychosocial disorders in patients with IBD, a companion survey of 117 gastroenterologists revealed that providers are “more concerned” about patients’ physical health and felt “more equipped” to treat patients physically than emotionally. Providers also reported that they believed their patients’ mental and emotional health is “sufficiently addressed.”
“In response to what we found in the survey, and through one-on-one conversations with patients and GIs, My IBD Life was created to help address some of the everyday challenges that people living with IBD face,” Laurie Keefer, PhD, a GI health psychologist and director of psychobehavioral research at the Icahn School of Medicine and adviser to the campaign, told Healio. “We really tried to focus on common questions and concerns that people living with IBD might have about their disease and its emotional impact.”
The survey also revealed that patients with IBD are most concerned about how IBD affects their mental or emotion health and limits their day-to-day life and that they need more information on IBD treatment options, as well as mental health resources.
In addition, patients of color were more likely to report that their IBD journey has been affected by their personal identity compared with white patients. Among all patients, women aged 18 to 39 years were least satisfied with their care.
According to Keefer, AGA created the My IBD Life campaign to share authentic and realistic advice, tips and tools that can help patients tackle some of the nonmedical aspects of living with the disease. The website includes patient stories, conversation guides, planning tools and 3D images to help people visualize how IBD affects their bodies.
“Having trusted, health literate resources in place for patients that are accessible and easily sharable with loved ones is a really critical part of IBD self-management,” she said. “We hope the resources will help those living with IBD develop coping strategies, face obstacles, build self-confidence and be their best advocates.”
Reference:
- American Gastroenterological Association. IBD patient & provider needs assessment. Available at: https://aga-fileuploader-bucket.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Aga-Files/AGA%20My%20IBD%20Life%20-%20Public%20Release%20of%20Survey%20Findings.pdf. Accessed: March 22, 2023.
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