Clinical Gastroenterology Vol.13 No.12(6)

Theme Gastorointestinal Diseases --from the Standpoint of Psychosomatic Medicine
Title Ulcerative Colitis-from the Standpoint of Psychosomatic Aspect
Publish Date 1998/11
Author Toru Miyahara The Second Department of Internal Medicine, National Defence Medical College
[ Summary ] Ulcerative colitis (UC) has been thought to be a relatively intractable disease. This disease has an population peak at juvenile generation and some patients must undergo surgical treatment. Their physical pain and mental anguish surpass our ability to imagine. In this report, we discussed the results of quality of life (QOL) studies of UC patients and the relationship between their QOL and their personality. There was no difference the physical functioning between patients with chronic bowel disease and normal subjects, but in UC patients, the scores for QOL were lower especially for physical role functioning, emotional role functioning and general mental health. So clinicians must recognize not only the importance of the patients' physicl condition but also to be aware of the psychosomatic aspects of patient treatment.
back