The Relationship Between Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Narrative Review.

This narrative review examines the associations of loneliness and social isolation with symptoms, disease severity, and treatment outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Synthesizing 18 quantitative studies, the review finds that loneliness and social isolation are linked to greater disease activity, psychological distress (including depression and anxiety), illness stigma, reduced quality of life, and increased mortality among individuals with IBD. The evidence highlights the complex interplay between psychosocial factors and IBD outcomes, emphasizing the need for longitudinal research to clarify causal pathways and biobehavioral mechanisms, such as gut-brain axis dysregulation. The review also identifies gaps regarding demographic disparities and calls for integrated psychosocial screening and interventions within IBD clinical care to address these factors.