Investigators:

Lead investigator:

Associate Professor Simon Knowles (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, email: sknowles@swin.edu.au)

Other investigators:

Dr Pragalathan Apputhurai (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)
Dr Manuel Barreiro-de Acosta (University Hospital Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
Dr Floor Bennebroek Evertsz (Academic Medical Center, The Netherlands)
Dr Johan Burisch (Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark)
Dr Bobby Lo (Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark)
Dr Megan Petrik (University of Minnesota Medical School, USA)
Dr Inês Trindade (University of Coimbra, Portugal)
Dr David Skvarc (Deakin University, Australia)
Associate Professor Nuno Ferreira (University of Nicosia, Cyprus)
Associate Professor Sharon Jedel (Rush University Medical Center, USA)
Associate Professor Gabriele Moser (Medical University of Vienna, Austria)
Associate Professor Antonina Mikocka-Walus (Deakin University, Australia)
Associate Professor Anna Mokrowiecka (Medical University of Lodz, Poland)
Associate Professor Miranda van Tilburg (Campbell University, USA)
Professor Charles Bernstein (University of Manitoba, Canada)
Professor Dan Dumitrascu (Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania)
Professor Alex Ford (University of Leeds and Leeds Gastroenterology Institute, UK)
Professor Richard Gearry (University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand)
Professor Lesley Graff (University of Manitoba, Canada)
Professor Andreas Stengel (University of Tuebingen, Germany)

Research assistant:

Mr Stephan Moller (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)

About the study:

The following study has been developed by an international collaboration of researchers who work to understand the interrelationships between psychological and gastrointestinal well-being.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a major impact on how we live our lives. Many day-to-day tasks that we engaged in such as catching up with friends and family, going to work and the shops, have been for many significantly changed. For those living with a gastrointestinal condition the COVID-19 pandemic may have also had an impact on their ability to attain support and maintain a prescribed treatment plan.

The purpose of this study is to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for those living with a gastrointestinal condition. Specifically, this study will explore the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gastrointestinal symptoms, gastrointestinal condition management, fears relating to COVID-19, psychological distress, coping, and quality of life. The study will also explore potential changes to condition management, fears relating to COVID-19, psychological distress, coping, and quality of life in 6 and 12 months after initially completing the baseline questionnaire.

The findings of this study will help us better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on those living with a gastrointestinal condition.
Your participation in this research will be a significant contribution to knowledge in this area and is an essential step towards identifying what the challenges were faces and how we may be able to minimise the impact of such pandemic on individuals living with a gastrointestinal condition.

What will participation involve?

We are looking for participants who are at least 18 years of age, diagnosed with a gastrointestinal condition, and able to read English. Please only complete the survey once and do not complete this survey on behalf of someone else.

Participation in this research project involves completing an online questionnaire that will take approximately 40 minutes to complete. At the end of the questionnaire, we will ask for your permission to contact you in 6 and 12 months time to complete a similar questionnaire so that we can monitor changes in your health and wellbeing. We will match your responses across the study time points (baseline, 6 and 12 months) by a unique code you will develop in the baseline questionnaire and provide for the subsequent 6 and 12 month questionnaires. We are interested in your views and experiences, whatever they are. Consent will be implied by completion of the online questionnaire.