Communicating Information Regarding IBD Remission to Patients: Evidence From a Survey of Adult Patients in the United States.

Background: Previous research suggests patients living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) understand IBD remission differently than healthcare professionals, which could influence patient expectations and clinical outcomes. We investigated 3 questions to better understand this: (1) How do patients currently understand remission; (2) Do patients currently face any barriers to communicating with their healthcare professional about remission; and (3) Can existing educational material be improved to help patients feel more prepared to discuss remission and treatment goals with their healthcare professional?

Methods: We sent a web-based survey to adult patients with IBD in the United States. This survey included an educational experiment where patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 improved versions of existing educational material.