Generalisability of the inflammatory bowel disease knowledge inventory device to assess disease‐related knowledge in A ustralian children

Aim Disease knowledge may affect disease outcome, adherence to therapy and quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease ( IBD ). The IBD knowledge inventory device ( IBD‐KID ) was specifically developed and validated for children to measure disease‐specific knowledge. The relevance of the IBD‐KID was now determined in an Australian population of children with IBD . Methods Twenty children with an established diagnosis of IBD for 2 years or greater, and their parents, were asked to complete the IBD‐KID and the Crohn's and Colitis Knowledge Score ( CCKNOW ). Twenty children recently diagnosed with IBD completed the IBD‐KID alone, as did three populations of health workers within a paediatric hospital. Results Children with longstanding disease scored 12.1 ± 4.6 (from 23 questions) in the IBD‐KID and 13.2 ± 5 (from 30 questions) in the CCKNOW device ( P < 0.05). Children had fewer ‘don't know’ answers with the IBD‐KID . Areas of poor knowledge included aspects of IBD therapies and IBD outcome. Recently diagnosed children performed less well than those with longer period of illness ( P = 0.03). Parents scored more highly in both scores than their children (16.8 ± 2.7 and 18.1 ± 4.2: P = 0.008). Medical staff had higher scores in the IBD‐KID (19.5 ± 2.1) than did nursing (13.2 ± 2.7) or clerical (7.3 ± 4.1) staff ( P < 0.005). Conclusions The IBD‐KID provides a reliable and appropriate assessment of disease knowledge in Australian children with IBD and can now be used in activities targeting disease‐related education and as a tool to ascertain where knowledge can be improved in children with IBD .