[Depression and anxiety in inflammatory bowel disease]

Abstract

The biopsychosocial model represents an advantage over the biomedical model, since it embodies the complex biological and psychosocial interactions that explain human illness or its effects. Attention to the psychosocial factors associated with inflammatory bowel disease have consequences on psychosocial well-being and quality of life. Psychological disturbances seem to be a consequence of the illness. The degree of psychological distress and disturbances correlates with the disease severity, predicts health-related quality of life and influences the course of disease. Clinicians should particularly assess anxiety and depression among their patients with active disease and / or abdominal pain in remission. This article reviews studies about the impact of depression and anxiety in inflammatory bowel diseases, and will show the importance to integrate psychosomatic care into clinical practice.