Abstract
Due to the chronic nature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), together with the complications that can arise from both the condition and the medications used to treat it, patients′ quality of life can be significantly impaired (Casellas et al, 2002). Stress-induced alterations in gastrointestinal inflammation can result in increased disease activity (Mawdsley et al, 2005). The UK IBD Audit (2006) recommended that ′direct referral pathways should be available for IBD teams to refer directly to psychological support services′. Currently, only 21% of participating hospitals have this service. Nurses caring for patients with IBD are well placed to aid in the assessment of psychological needs and suitability of further support services. As part of a third-year medical student project, existing psychological support services were evaluated for their potential benefit to patients with IBD. A pilot scoring system was developed to help identify those patients who may benefit from such a referral and an algorithm produced to aid the referral pathway. It is anticipated that during the next UK IBD audit cycle in 2008, our referral system will be in place and working to the benefit of those patients requiring additional psychological support. The aims of the audit were: to review literature that relates IBD with psychological factors and wellbeing; to investigate what support services are currently available in Cardiff and the Vale for patients with IBD and psychological issues; to study a group of 50 patients with IBD and pilot a scoring system to assess their psychological wellbeing and perceived need for support; to formulate an algorithm for use by nursing and medical staff in the gastroenterology department to identify those patients with IBD who require additional psychological support and to produce a referral pathway to appropriate support services.
Published Version
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