School and leisure activities in adolescents and young adults with chronic digestive disorders: impact of burden of disease.

First, we compared the nature of burden of disease (i.e., manifestations of the disease in daily life) in adolescents and young adults with various chronic digestive disorders with controls.

Social position of adolescents with chronic digestive disorders.

Objective: To investigate the consequences of having a chronic digestive disorder on the social position of adolescents.

Methods: Five diagnostic groups, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic liver diseases, congenital digestive disorders, coeliac disease and food allergy (total n = 758, ages 12-25 years), were each compared with a population-based control group in a multicentre study using a cross-sectional design. Social position was assessed by a mailed questionnaire measuring 24 aspects, categorized as education, leisure activities, friendship, labour participation, financial situation, partnership and sexuality.