barriers to self-care in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Aims: this study aimed to explore the barriers that prevent patients with inflammatory bowel disease from performing self-care by understanding their individual experiences.participants & methods: this descriptive qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 16 inflammatory bowel disease patients who expressed a willingness to participate. the sample included both sexes and individuals diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or crohn’s disease. data were analyzed using thematic analysis guided by an inductive approach.findings: there were five main themes and twenty-six sub-themes that represented the most prominent barriers faced by patients. the main themes were insufficient knowledge about the disease, physical symptoms as barriers to self-care, psychological and social barriers to effective self-care, medication adherence barriers, and dietary adherence barriers. these barriers were found to be interrelated in a manner that negatively impacts patients’ adherence to health behaviors related to self-care.conclusion: the most prominent barriers to self-care in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are a lack of knowledge about the disease, physical symptoms, and difficulties adhering to a diet and medications.