Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic conditions that negatively
affect the patient’s quality of life. With the spread of the biopsychosocial model,
the role of mental health in the activity and course of inflammatory bowel disease
is becoming more and more recognized. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of
anxiety and depression in IBD patients in our tertiary referral center and determine
the predictive factors of these mental conditions. Methods: A total of 117 patients
were included consecutively between 1 December 2021 and 28 February 2022. We used
a questionnaire to gather demographic information, disease course, and IBD-specific
symptoms. We assessed anxiety symptoms using the GAD-7 and depressive complaints using
the PHQ-9 questionnaire. We evaluated disease activity using CDAI and pMayo scores.
Results: Of the 117 patients (male/female: 63/54), 88 suffered from Crohn’s disease,
and 29 were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Only 6 patients were taking medication
for mood disorders, and 38 individuals sought mental support during their lifetime.
A total of 15% of the population suffered from moderate–severe anxiety disorder, and
22% were affected by moderate–severe depression. The GAD-7 and PHQ9 values showed
a significant correlation between the number of stools, bloody stools, abdominal pain,
number of flare-ups, and CDAI scores. Conclusions: Our study confirmed that there
is a high incidence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among IBD patients. Our results
highlighted the symptoms that could be associated with mental disorders. It is important
to assess the mental status of IBD patients to improve their quality of life.
