Relationships Among Type D Personality, Symptoms, Depression and Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

BACKGROUND

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) often experience typical or atypical symptoms accompanied by depression, anxiety, and low quality of life (QoL). In patients with various diseases, having a Type D personality has been linked to an elevated risk of developing symptoms such as depression and anxiety, as well as reduced QoL.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to examine the influence of Type D personality on GERD symptoms, depression and anxiety, and QoL and to identify the causal relationships among the variables influencing QoL in patients with GERD.

METHODS

A cross-sectional correlational design and convenience sampling were used, and 149 patients with GERD were enrolled as study participants from the gastroenterology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in the Republic of Korea. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and tested using SPSS 28.0 and Amos 23.0.

RESULTS

Approximately 46% of the participants met the criteria for inclusion in the Type D personality group. This group exhibited higher levels of depression and anxiety and diminished QoL than the non-Type D personality group. In the multiple regression model, GERD symptoms, depression and Type D personality were found to have a significant influence on QoL. In the structural equation model, GERD symptoms, depression, and Type D personality were shown to affect QoL, explaining 51.7% of the total variance in QoL. Two factors, namely depression and GERD symptoms, were identified as mediators of the association between Type D personality and QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate a relatively high frequency of Type D personality among patients with GERD. When assessing QoL in patients with GERD, it is essential to consider the influence of Type D personality in conjunction with symptom experience and the presence of depression and anxiety. In particular, managing depression and symptoms in patients with GERD and a Type D personality may offer an effective approach to improving QoL in this patient group.