Preliminary examination of the relations between disease activity, illness perceptions, coping strategies, and psychological morbidity in Crohn's disease guided by the common sense model of illness

Abstract

Background: An individual's psychological adjustment to illness is influenced by disease severity, illness perceptions, and coping strategies. A more precise understanding of the contribution of each of these factors to a patient's well-being may influence the kind of psychological support required by patients. This study therefore aimed to characterize the contributors to psychological well-being in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The design was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Methods: Ninety-six CD patients (34 males, 62 females, mean age 38 years) attending a tertiary hospital inflammatory bowel disease outpatient clinic were studied. Disease severity was evaluated accord..