Gastrointestinal Nursing.pdf

The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Gastroenterology 167Chapter 13The Role of Psychosocial Factors inGastroenterologyChapter objectivesAfter reading this chapter you should be able to:• Be aware of psychosocial elements of gastroenterology.• Understand:• The role of psychosocial factors in gastrointestinal illness.• Psychological intervention in gastroenterology.• The role of the nurse in psychosocial care.Psychosocial factors play an important part in most gastrointestinal illnesses.Life stress, psychological state, coping and social support can be influentialin the initial precipitation of illness and later exacerbations. Life stress refersto stressful life events, such as loss of job, breakup of a relationship, bereavement,sexual abuse or financial difficulties. Psychological state refers to thepresence of psychiatric symptoms, such as depression or anxiety.Anxiety and depressionAnxiety and depression are closely related and a combined state of both iscommon.AnxietyAnxiety is defined as a ‘characteristic, unpleasant emotion induced by theanticipation of danger or frustration which threatens the security or homeostasisof the individual or the group to which he or she belongs’. Anxiety is associatedwith autonomic activation (fight or flight reaction), breathlessness, palpitations,chest or abdominal discomfort and diarrhoea.167