Results of the DIPEX project on Crohn‘s disease and ulcerative colitis

Summary: Introduction: The paper reports on the project DIPEx, which has created the website www.hovoryozdravi.cz. The concept is based on the stories of patients themselves in different health conditions. The paper reports specifically on the part of the project devoted to IBD patients, the module “Crohn‘s disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as on the scientific results published in the framework of applied qualitative research in health psychology. Patients and methods: 36 patients, 19 with Crohn‘s disease and 17 with ulcerative colitis, were asked to tell their story with IBD and were also asked questions about health care, living with IBD, coping with the disease, etc. The Database of Personal Experiences of Health and Illness (DIPEx) methodology, developed in Oxford and standardized in the Czech Republic as an innovative qualitative research tool, was used. Results: Further elaboration of the participants‘ narratives also led to more in-depth analyses already published, namely: patients‘ expectations in the doctor–patient relationship and issues of intimacy and family planning. Conclusion: The website www.hovoryozdravi.cz is useful for patients, their loved ones, and also for teaching healthcare professionals. Qualitative research on the experiences of IBD patients is unique in its scope in the field of health psychology. Key words: Crohn‘s disease – ulcerative colitis – quality of life – health psychology – qualitative research – patients‘ experience