Correlation between individual question items within the IBD-Control instrument and visual analogue scale for disease control (IBD-Control-VAS) and disease-specific quality of life total score measured using the UK-IBD-QoL questionnaire
| Item | Question | IBD-Control-VAS | UK-IBD-QoL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1a | … your IBD has been well controlled in the past 2 weeks* | 0.70 | 0.63 |
| Q1b | … your current treatment is useful in controlling your IBD* | 0.39 | 0.38 |
| Q2 | … have your bowel symptoms been getting better, getting worse or not changed | 0.36 | 0.24 |
| Q3a | … miss any planned activities because of IBD* | 0.63 | 0.67 |
| Q3b | … wake up at night because of symptoms of IBD* | 0.61 | 0.67 |
| Q3c | … suffer from significant pain or discomfort* | 0.64 | 0.66 |
| Q3d | … often feel lacking in energy (fatigued)* | 0.51 | 0.63 |
| Q3e | … feel anxious or depressed because of your IBD* | 0.58 | 0.70 |
| Q3f | ... think you need a change to your treatment* | 0.60 | 0.50 |
| Q4a | … would you like to discuss alternative types of drug | 0.42 | 0.26 |
| Q4b | … would you like to discuss ways to adjust your own treatment | 0.33 | 0.31 |
| Q4c | … would you like to discuss side effects or difficulties with your medicines | 0.24 | 0.29 |
| Q4d | … would you like to discuss new symptoms that have developed | 0.30 | 0.29 |
Item responses were scored as 0 (worst option), 1 (intermediate, eg, ‘Not sure’) or 2 (best option), so a higher score should indicate better disease control. Correlation coefficients are expressed as Spearman's ρ values (p<0.01 in all cases).
*Question items included in the IBD-Control-8 subscore.
IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; QoL, quality of life.