Every Autumn we invite postgraduate students based in the UK to apply for up to £5000 worth of funding and our support to carry out a 12 month research project related to coeliac disease as part of their studies or professional development.

We are delighted to share the outcomes of the projects we awarded in December 2023.

The development and application of an online group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) based psychological intervention to support adults with CD

Imogen Hughes, University of Surrey

The primary issue that this research wanted to address was the lack of tailored mental health interventions available for people with coeliac disease. Existing evidence suggests that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is successful in improving the mental wellbeing of people with lifelong conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or arthritis, however there is limited evidence around whether it can also improve the mental wellbeing of people with coeliac disease. Therefore, this project aimed to develop an online CBT mental health intervention for adults with coeliac disease. It then evaluated the intervention via feedback from participants to see if it was able to improve mental wellbeing and quality of life.

The intervention was aimed at adults who had been diagnosed with coeliac disease within the last 2 years as during this period, individuals are making big lifestyle adjustments to promote gut healing.

The project was extremely successful in recruiting adults with coeliac disease to take part in the CBT intervention, suggesting a high level of need for the type of support being offered.

Quantitative data showed statistically significant improvements in all areas by the time participants had completed involvement with the intervention. The study tracked measures relating to anxiety, depression and quality of life.

Qualitative data feedback showed that participants felt validated and supported by the intervention and felt it was empowering as it provided practical strategies to manage coeliac disease and talk to others about their needs.

Following on from feedback the initial intervention is going to be further improved before being tested with a larger group. Participants felt that more sessions would be useful and also recommended that it be made available for people who had been diagnosed longer than 2 years ago. It’s hoped that by gathering further evidence the intervention will be able to be recommended as a tool for people with coeliac disease.

Exploring the views of primary and secondary care physicians on the no-biopsy diagnosis of coeliac disease in adults: a qualitative interview study

Mohamed Shiha, University of Sheffield

The purpose of this work was to collect and share how healthcare professionals feel about a no biopsy approach to diagnosing coeliac disease to identify barriers and challenges. By identifying these, recommendations could be made to ensure that the no biopsy approach to diagnosis is offered to eligible patients.

The current gold standard method for diagnosing coeliac disease involves a blood test and biopsy. During the pandemic, interim guidance from the National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) meant that some people could have a diagnosis of coeliac disease without the need for a biopsy and many areas of the UK continue to operate under this guidance. This project consisted of interviews with gastroenterologists and general practitioners (GP) in the UK with varying levels of experience, to collect their thoughts on diagnosing people with coeliac disease without an endoscopy and biopsy.

From the interviews, it was found that both groups were supportive of a no biopsy approach to diagnosis. This was due to advantages such as improved patient satisfaction, shorter waiting times before patients can begin treatment and reduced pressures on NHS services. However, it was also suggested that clear guidelines are really important. The healthcare professionals mentioned concerns such as false positive results and issues relating to the management of those with ongoing symptoms who hadn’t been diagnosed with a biopsy. There were also concerns relating to other conditions that might be identified or ruled out by biopsy.

The findings of this study have been published in an open access, peer reviewed journal and were also presented at the United European Gastroenterology Conference in Vienna in October 2024 which was attended by over 11,500 people.