Quality of life assessment by patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Using a direct-interview technique, 164 ambulatory patients with inflammatory bowel disease were evaluated for quality of life. The sample comprised 94 patients with ulcerative colitis and 70 with Crohn's disease, and included both surgical and nonsurgical patients. The interview questionnaire consisted of 47 items in four categories: functional/economic, social/recreational, affect/life in general, and medical/symptoms. Patients with ulcerative colitis had better quality of life than those with Crohn's disease, and patients without surgery had better quality of life than those with surgery. These results are of value in assessing the results of medical and surgical therapy. Quality of life assessment by patients with inflammatory bowel disease gives information not usually obtained by physicians and has implications for quality assurance and outcome measurement.