Kontakt 2013, 15(2):128-134 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2013.016

Possibilities of improvement of life quality in patients with Crohn disease from nurse's viewNursing

Lukáš Rendl^*, Valérie Tóthová

Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra ošetřovatelství a porodní asistence

Quality of life has recently been more and more discussed in the medical and nursing branch, particularly with regard to quality of life at a chronic disease where its impairment is certainly expected. Such case of chronic disease is Morbus Crohn, falling into the group of idiopathic intestinal inflammations. It is a disease with relatively short history, typical epidemiology, still unexplained etiology and pathogenesis, with often problematic diagnosis, modern therapy and troublesome manifestations. All the above stated attributes characterize Morbus Crohn in general, where the last attribute causes the most negative impact on life quality, regardless the above stated modern therapy that really has achieved important development, particularly recently. This incurable disease has always affected life quality and, unfortunately, it will probably keep affecting it, but the question is to which degree and in which areas. Numerous studies show that the factor most affecting life quality is the activity of the disease, psychosocial factors, socio-economic factors and quality of medical care are important as well. An interesting finding of these studies is also higher life quality in patients with long-lasting disease compared to patients with short-lasting disease which proves the influence of adaptation to life with the disease. The interest and research of life quality in patients with Morbus Crohn are important, particularly in order to reveal the places most affected by the disease and to be able to achieve, for example, corrective and preventive measures.
The aim of this survey study is to summarize the current information on Morbus Crohn to describe the role of the nurse in the care of the patient and to outline the impact of the disease on patient's life quality. This article is based on the analysis of available theoretical sources.

Keywords: life quality; Morbus Crohn; non-specific intestinal inflammations; biological therapy

Received: October 31, 2012; Accepted: January 28, 2013; Published: June 18, 2013  Show citation