Barriers in inflammatory bowel disease care in Central and Eastern Europe: a region-specific analysis

Scientific paper - Review paper

• Author: Michal Prokopič
• Author: Georgiana Gilca-Blanariux
• Author: Peter Lietava
• Author: Anca Trifan
• Author: Anna Pietrzak
• Author: Agata Ladić
• Author: Marko Brinar
• Author: Svetlana Turcan
• Author: Tamás Molnár
• Author: Peter Bánovčin
• Author: Milan Lukáš
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Internal Medicine)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Internal Medicine

Abstract (english)

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic immune-mediated diseases with a high incidence and prevalence in Europe. Since these are diseases with associated disability, they require complex management and the availability of high-quality healthcare resources. We focused on the analysis of IBD care in selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) targeting the availability and reimbursement of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the role of IBD centers and also education and research in IBD. As part of the analysis, we created a questionnaire of 73 statements organized in three topics: (1) diagnostics, follow-up and screening, (2) medications and (3) IBD centers. The questionnaire was filled out by co-authoring IBD experts from individual countries, and then the answers and comments on the questionnaire were analyzed. We identified that despite the financial burden, which still partially persists in the region, the availability of some of the cost-saving tools (calprotectin test, therapeutic drug monitoring) differs among countries, mainly due to variable reimbursement from country to country. In most participating countries, there also remains a lack of dedicated dietary and psychological counseling, which is often replaced by recommendations offered by gastroenterologists. However, there is adequate availability of most of the currently recommended diagnostic methods and therapies in each participating country, as well as the implementation of established IBD centers in the region.

• Keywords (english): Central Europe; Crohn’s disease; Eastern Europe; barriers; healthcare; inflammatory bowel disease; ulcerative colitis
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Review paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology
• Numbering: vol. 16, 17562848231174290
• p-ISSN: 1756-2848
• e-ISSN: 1756-2848
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17562848231174290
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:978759
• Publication: 2023-06-12
• Document URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17562848231174290
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-09-28 08:07:54