Aim.  To identify predictors of low health-related quality of life among patients with inflammatory bowel disease and make a comparison between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis with disease duration. Background.  Studies have shown that patients with inflammatory bowel disease rate their health-related quality of life lower, as compared with a general population. Design.  Survey. Methods.  In this study, 197 patients in remission were included and divided into a Crohn's disease group and an ulcerative colitis group. Each group was also divided into separate groups whether the patients had short disease duration or long disease duration. Generic instruments, combined with disease-specific questionnaires, were used for measuring health-related quality of life. Results.  The analysis showed a non-significant effect for diagnosis, but a significant effect for disease duration showing that the patients with short disease duration had lower scores of health-related quality of life compared with patients with long disease duration. A significant interaction between diagnosis and disease duration was also revealed. Conclusion.  Patients with longer disease duration experienced a better health-related quality of life than patients with short disease duration. Patients with Crohn's disease and short disease duration have the lowest health-related quality of life and are in greatest need of education and support. Relevance to clinical practice.  It is important to identify which patients' are in the greatest need of education and support.