Resilience and Self-Care in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study in Outpatient Settings
Daniele Napolitano, Mattia Bozzetti, Alessio Lo Cascio, Giuseppe De Stefano, Nicoletta Orgiana, Loris Riccardo Lopetuso, Antonio Maria D’Onofrio, Giovanni Camardese, Alfredo Papa, Franco Scaldaferri, Antonello Cocchieri, Davide Bartoli
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), significantly affects patients’ quality of life. Resilience and self-care are vital for disease management, yet their relationship with IBD remains underexplored. This study investigates how self-care behaviours influence resilience in patients with IBD, taking into account sociodemographic and clinical factors. Methods: This was a multicentre observational study. Data were collected during routine outpatient visits between April and June 2024. Participants (≥18 years) with an IBD diagnosis for at least 12 months were recruited. Data were collected using validated instruments, including the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25), the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII), and sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires. Disease activity was assessed using the Mayo Score (UC) and the Harvey–Bradshaw Index (CD). Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses explored variable relationships. This study was conducted as part of the N-ECCO Research Grant initiative. Results: A total of 401 participants (CD: 196, UC: 205) were enrolled, with equal gender distribution (50.1% male). The descriptive analysis of self-care levels showed a mean score of 72.6 (SD = 12.5) for self-care maintenance, 81.0 (SD = 18.2) for self-care monitoring, and 70.5 (SD = 18.4) for self-care management. The UC patients had higher self-care management scores than the CD patients (p = 0.002). The median resilience score was 45, and self-care management positively predicted resilience (β = 0.041, p < 0.001). Disease severity negatively affected resilience and self-care, particularly in severe cases (β = −8.334, p < 0.001). The females reported higher resilience and self-care monitoring scores than the men. Conclusions: Resilience and self-care are interrelated and crucial in IBD management. Enhancing resilience through personalised nursing interventions and integrating psychological and educational support may improve self-care and clinical outcomes.