Quality of life of adults with celiac disease

Abstract

Introduction: Celiac disease is a food intolerance leading to problems with digestion and absorption of nutrients. It modifies the assessment of quality of life, but its overall evaluation should include sociodemographic factors and received health treatment. Aim of the study: To assess the quality of life of patients with celiac disease and to establish its determinants. Material and methods: A total of 165 adults with celiac disease participated in the study. The authors’ questionnaire and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaire were used. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25, and the significance level was p < 0.05. Results: The respondents rated their quality of life in the social dimension the highest, and in the physical dimension the lowest. Age, marital status, and professional activity were not related to the overall assessment of the quality of life. This rating was higher in the group of men, residents of large cities, and people with higher education. The duration of celiac disease did not significantly affect the quality of life. Respondents without symptoms of the disease or with the occurrence of 1 or 2 of them assessed their quality of life better. Comorbidities significantly reduced quality of life. Respondents describing the support received from professionals as bad had lower quality of life in terms of physical and social functioning. Conclusions: Treatment of celiac patients requires professionals providing care to implement interventions in order to improve patients’ assessment of quality of life.