A study published in the Journal of Health Psychology evaluated the relationship between Crohn’s disease severity and patients’ mental health burden.

In total, 619 patients with Crohn’s disease were assessed (age, 18–79 years). More than half (58.3%) of participants were women. The primary outcome was the role of somatization, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms and disease activity.

Analysis via structural equation modeling found that somatization was an independent predictor of disease activity. However, depression and anxiety were not predictors of disease activity. The researchers noted that the effect of somatization on disease activity was stronger among men than women.

In conclusion, the authors wrote, “Findings suggest that somatization represents a distinct domain of psychological distress that may play a role in the health of patients with Crohn’s disease.”

Via: Journal of Health Psychology https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1359105320909879