Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access
Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc
Journal website https://jocmr.elmerjournals.com

Original Article

Volume 17, Number 12, December 2025, pages 688-697

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders Among Patients Diagnosed With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Figures

↓  Figure 1. Distribution of participants’ age.
Figure 1.
↓  Figure 2. Barriers to mental health treatment among IBC patients. The most significant barrier to mental health treatment was concern about medication side effects (40.2%), followed by fear of stigma (8.7%) and cost concerns (6.5%) (n = 92). IBD: inflammatory bowel disease.
Figure 2.
↓  Figure 3. Clustered screening results for depression and anxiety categories among 92 IBD patients. Of the IBD patients screened, 19.6% screened positive for depressive symptoms using the PHQ-2, while 46.7% reported anxiety symptoms using the GAD-7, with 17.4% experiencing severe anxiety. GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7; IBD: inflammatory bowel disease; PHQ-2: Patient Health Questionnaire-2.
Figure 3.
↓  Figure 4. Relationship between clinical diagnosis and psychiatric treatment use among IBD patients. Among the study participants, a large majority of those who had not been diagnosed with anxiety or depression (95.4%) had also received psychiatric treatment, whereas more than half of those who had a clinical diagnosis (57.7%) had received psychiatric treatment. IBD: inflammatory bowel disease.
Figure 4.

Tables

↓  Table 1. Sociodemographic Characteristics of Participants (n = 92)
 
Frequency Percent
Sex
  Female 36 39.1
  Male 56 60.9
  Total 92 100.0
Nationality
  Saudi 83 90.2
  Other 9 9.8
  Total 92 100.0
Educational level
  Elementary 5 5.4
  High school 26 28.3
  Diploma 11 12.0
  Bachelor’s 42 45.7
  Master’s 8 8.7
  Total 92 100.0
Smoking
  No 74 80.4
  Yes 18 19.6
  Total 92 100.0

 

↓  Table 2. Clinical Characteristics
 
Frequency Percent
IBD: inflammatory bowel disease.
Phenotype
  Ulcerative colitis 67 72.8
  Crohn’s disease 25 27.2
Duration of the disease
  Less than 6 months 6 6.5
  6 months to 1 year 11 12.0
  1 to 3 years 25 27.2
  3 to 5 years 16 17.4
  More than 5 years 34 37.0
Status of the disease
  Inactive 48 52.2
  Active 44 47.8
Last flare-up
  Less than 3 months 38 41.3
  Less than 6 months 20 21.7
Steroid use
  No 32 34.8
  Yes 60 65.2
Biological treatment use
  No 30 32.6
  Yes 62 67.4
Biological therapy
  Never 29 31.5
  1 16 17.4
  2 9 9.8
  3 5 5.4
  Other 33 35.9
Surgical intervention to treat IBD complications
  No 87 94.6
  Yes 5 5.4

 

↓  Table 3. Prevalence of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment Use
 
Frequency Percent
Diagnosed with a depression disorder or anxiety disorder
  No 78 84.8
  Yes 14 15.2
  Total 92 100.0
Received psychiatric treatment
  No 80 87.0
  Yes 12 13.0
  Total 92 100.0
Currently taking psychiatric meds
  No 79 85.9
  Yes 13 14.1
  Total 92 100.0

 

↓  Table 4. Multivariable Logistic Regression: Predictors of Clinical Diagnosis of Anxiety or Depression
 
Variable P-value OR (Exp(B)) 95% CI
CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio.
Nationality (Saudi vs. other) 0.035 40.151 1.30 - 1241.79
Sex (male) 0.161 5.102 0.52 - 49.93
Smoking 0.184 4.152 0.51 - 33.99
surgical intervention .159 13.830 0.358 - 534.16

 

↓  Table 5. Logistic Regression: Predictors of Positive PHQ-2 Screening for Depression
 
Variable P-value OR (Exp(B)) 95% CI
CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio; PHQ-2: Patient Health Questionnaire-2.
Smoking (yes) 0.072 5.041 0.865 - 29.379
Last flare < 3 months 0.055 7.513 0.960 - 58.808
Disease status (active) 0.132 0.233 0.035 - 1.547
Sex (male) 0.363 2.105 0.423 - 10.48

 

↓  Table 6. Binary Logistic Regression: Any Level of Anxiety Compared to No Anxiety (Based on GAD-7)
 
Predictor P-value OR (Exp(B)) 95% CI
CI: confidence interval; GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale; OR: odds ratio.
Disease duration (< 6 months) 0.017 0.024 0.001 - 0.508
Disease duration (6 months - 1 year) 0.043 0.120 0.015 - 0.932
Disease duration (1 - 3 years) 0.011 0.089 0.014 - 0.580
Last flare-up (< 3 months) 0.012 17.424 1.85 - 163.88