Quality of Life among Adolescent Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract

Aims: The study aims to assess the quality of life for adolescent patients with irritable bowel syndrome in the city of Baghdad, and determine the relationship between quality of life level and demographic characteristics for adolescent patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Patients and Methods: A descriptive study, using the assessment approach was conducted on a purposive "non-probability" sample of (100) patients (males and females) who are attending the Centre of diseases of the digestive system and liver / Medical City. A questionnaire was adapted from the World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire (1998) for the purpose of the study. It is comprised of (3) parts. The part I includes the demographic characteristics of the study sample (such as age, sex, marital status, educational level and employment status) and the part II includes the (nine) questions related to the medical information of a sample of the study, and Part III includes questions related to the quality of life of adolescent patients who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Data were collected through a self- administration method, during the period of the first of July to the sixteenth of August, 2012. Data were analyzed through the application of the descriptive statistical data analysis approach (frequency, percentage, mean of scores) and inferential statistical data analysis approach (Pearson correlation coefficient and chi-square). Results: The findings of the study indicated that quality of life was affected in environment domain, social domain and psychological domain and that age, gender, marital status, and employment status had significant relationship with quality of life domains. Conclusion: The study concluded that environment domain, social domain and psychological domain of quality of life were affected by the disease.