SynthesisBMC pediatrics2026
Illness experience and needs in children with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.
Synthesis in BMC pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAs the global incidence of pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) rises, so does the complexity of its psychosocial burden. While biomedical protocols for clinical management are robust, the subjective illness experience—uniquely filtered through the developmental lens of adolescence—remains fragmented in current literature. This study systematically synthesizes qualitative evidence regarding the lived realities and unmet psychosocial needs of children and adolescents navigating IBD.
methodsAdhering to ENTREQ and PRISMA standards, we executed a comprehensive search across ten databases (including PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL) from inception through January 3, 2026. The review exclusively targeted qualitative inquiries into the self-reported lives of patients under 18 years of age. We utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist for quality appraisal and employed Thomas and Harden’s thematic synthesis to integrate findings. The protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42025637953).
resultsSynthesizing data from fourteen qualifying studies revealed a trajectory defined by four analytical themes. First, Constructing a “Normal” Identity exposes the exhaustive “hidden labor” children perform to mask their disruptive bodies. This exertion precipitates a Developmental Paradox, characterized by the tension between illness-enforced dependency and the adolescent drive for autonomy. Unchecked, this uncertainty leads to Reshaping Future Horizons, where a “shrinking world” constrains aspirations. Finally, Reclaiming Agency charts a divergent path from passive endurance to “active mastery” through intellectual engagement and restitution.
conclusionsThe pediatric IBD experience is defined by a fundamental conflict between physiological unpredictability and the normative imperatives of adolescence. For these patients, “normality” is a curated performance rather than a natural state. Clinical practice must therefore transcend symptom management to validate this hidden labor. Interventions should prioritize early transition readiness, institutional school accommodations, and fostering intellectual mastery to help patients reclaim agency and prevent the constriction of life aspirations.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.