Prevalence of Depressive Disorders in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Studies With Diagnoses Verified Using Structured Interviews

Background Although depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in IBD based on questionnaire estimates, the prevalence of stringently diagnosed depression in IBD is unclear. This is important because higher‐intensity treatments for depression are only recommended in this subgroup. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and PsycINFO to June 8, 2026 for studies reporting prevalence of depressive disorders in IBD diagnosed using structured or semi‐structured clinical interviews. Random‐effects meta‐analyses were used to estimate the prevalence (with 95% CIs) of depressive disorders among patients with IBD. Current major depressive disorder (MDD) was the primary outcome and current dysthymia, any current or lifetime depressive disorder were secondary outcomes. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were calculated to compare prevalences between Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Subgroup analyses by region, interview type, diagnostic criteria and diagnostic instrument were performed. Results Thirteen reports from 12 independent studies (1159 patients and 10 countries) were included. The pooled prevalence of current MDD in IBD was 13% (95% CI, 4%–32%; I 2 = 94.1%). Pooled prevalence estimates were 4% for current dysthymia, 18% for any current depressive disorder and 30% for any lifetime depressive disorder. There were no significant differences between CD and UC across all depressive disorder outcomes. Conclusions Clinically diagnosed depressive disorders appear to be highly prevalent in IBD. However, estimates should be interpreted cautiously given the small number of studies and substantial heterogeneity. These findings support improved identification and treatment of depressive disorders in IBD care.