DDW 2026: Jennifer Schmaus, PhD, on how mental health screening in IBD clinics may improve engagement with psychogastroenterology services.
Depression and anxiety are significantly more common among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in the general population, yet mental health support remains inconsistently integrated into gastroenterology care. Increasingly, clinicians and researchers are exploring how embedded mental health screening and integrated care models can improve both patient outcomes and engagement with psychological support services.
Research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026 examined whether routine mental health screening within gastroenterology clinics influences patient follow-up with gastro psychology services. The findings suggest that screening may improve both referral uptake and patient engagement, reinforcing the growing role of integrated behavioral health approaches in IBD management.1
In the following Q&A, Jennifer A. Schmaus, PhD, of the University of Chicago, discusses the rationale behind the study, how mental health screening may normalize psychological care in gastroenterology settings, and the practical challenges associated with scaling these models across IBD clinics.
Schmaus: Our research examined the role of mental health screening and uptake of gastro psychology services in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
We know that depression and anxiety are more common in patients with IBD than in the general population. At the same time, there is growing recognition that mental health screening can play an important role in gastroenterology clinics.
We also know that many patients with IBD benefit from working with GI psychologists who are trained in brain-gut behavioral therapies. Patients often experience improvements in quality of life and reductions in mental health symptoms.
What we were particularly interested in was whether implementing mental health screening within GI clinics could improve patients’ likelihood of following up with a GI psychologist.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Schmaus: I think the effect is occurring on both the patient and provider side.
For patients, including screening for depression and anxiety in GI clinics communicates that mental health is an important component of care and something worth discussing during visits. It also encourages patients to reflect on how depression or anxiety may relate to their IBD symptoms and overall disease experience.
For providers, screening creates a natural opening for these conversations. GI clinics are busy, and there are many competing priorities during appointments. Embedding mental health screening into routine care provides a structured way to introduce discussions about psychological health and integrate mental health support into IBD management.
Schmaus: Integrated, team-based care models are becoming increasingly important in IBD care.
In our clinics, care is highly collaborative and involves gastroenterologists, dietitians, pharmacists, and mental health professionals. Mental health is an important part of holistic IBD management, and we consistently see patients benefit from these services.
The more mental health support becomes integrated into routine GI care, the more normalized and accessible it becomes for patients.
Schmaus: In our data, there was a slight tendency for patients who identified as women and for patients with anxiety to engage more with gastro psychology services, although those findings were not statistically significant.
Overall, we saw engagement across a broad range of patients and mental health experiences. Some patients had prior histories of depression or anxiety, while others did not.
Interestingly, we also did not observe significant differences between patients who had previously engaged in mental health care and those who had not.
Schmaus: This is an area we are very interested in expanding, but there are important logistical considerations.
Mental health screening can be time intensive, and clinics need staff who are appropriately trained to administer and respond to screening measures. For example, if a patient endorses suicidality, clinics must have protocols and trained personnel in place to address urgent concerns safely.
That said, there are also substantial benefits. One thing I have consistently noticed is that patients appreciate being asked about mental health during GI visits. Over time, these conversations can benefit both patients and providers and help create a more comprehensive model of care.
