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Radford, Shellie Jean (2020) Exploration of the impact of inflammatory bowel disease fatigue on the health-related quality of life of adults. MSc(Res) thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

Background: Fatigue is a frequently reported symptom of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), experienced by patients with active disease and when in remission. Fatigue related to chronic conditions plays a significant negative role in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but patients’ experience of this have not been researched in IBD.

Aim: To explore patient experience of IBD fatigue and its impact on HRQoL in adults diagnosed with IBD.

Methods: A systematic literature was undertaken to explore the impact of IBD fatigue on HRQoL in adults. Search terms were developed and combined encompassing concepts of ‘Fatigue’, ‘IBD and ‘HRQoL’. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

To explore patient experiences of the impact of IBD fatigue on HRQoL, qualitative, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with adults with Crohn’s Disease in remission, recruited from out-patient clinics in the UK. Eligibility and medical history were confirmed at recruitment. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse data using NVivo 12 software.

Results: Eleven publications were deemed eligible for inclusion in the systematic literature review. Studies revealed experience of fatigue was significantly related to three HRQoL areas; symptom acceptance, psychosocial factors and physical activity.

Interviews of 14 adults with IBD fatigue revealed that there were three key themes that reflect the patient experience:

’The new normal’ established through adaptation to, and acceptance of, IBD fatigue impact on daily life.

’Energy as a resource’ describes participants attempts to better manage fatigue through planning and prioritising tasks. ‘Keeping healthy’ encompasses participants beliefs that good nutrition, good general health and keeping active permit them to better manage fatigue.

Conclusion: Adults with IBD fatigue try to establish a sense of ‘new’ normality. However, this is often at the expense leisure activities. The study also indicates that conservation of energy through planning and prioritising tasks and high levels of social support were associated with better self-reported HRQoL. Further research is required to explore physical activity-based intervention in relation to IBD fatigue.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (MSc(Res))
Supervisors:	Moran, Gordon W. Czuber-Dochan, Wladyslawa
Keywords:	Inflammatory bowel disease, fatigue, Health related quality of life
Subjects:	W Medicine and related subjects (NLM Classification) > WI Digestive system
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Medicine
Item ID:	60628
Depositing User:	Radford, Shellie
Date Deposited:	24 Jul 2020 04:40
Last Modified:	24 Jul 2020 04:40
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/60628

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