Comparison of Quality of Life, Anxiety, and Depression Levels in Celiac Patients with Children Without Chronic Illnesses

Aim: Celiac disease is a chronic and multisystemic illness, and the lifelong treatment process neg-atively affects the quality of life of patients and their families. This study aims to compare the quality of life, depression, and anxiety levels of children and adolescents diagnosed with celiac disease to those of a healthy control group. Methods: The research involved a total of 129 individuals aged 8-18 years (64 with celiac disease and 65 healthy volunteers) and their parents. To assess children with celiac disease and healthy children, we used a sociodemographic form we created, along with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and Parent Quality of Life Inventory tests. Results: Diet adherence, parental education level, and family income level were found to be directly associated with quality of life and depression/anxiety levels (p<0.05). Significant differences in height, weight, and BMI measurements were observed between individuals with celiac disease and the healthy group (p<0.05). Key factors negatively affecting the quality of life in individuals with celiac disease were difficulty adhering to the diet and low family income levels. Conclusion: Celiac disease should not be approached solely as a physical condition. The psychosocial impacts of this disease, including depression and anxiety, can be addressed more effectively through early diagnosis and management. A holistic treatment approach that considers the psychosocial well-being of children can significantly improve their quality of life.