Risk factors of irritable bowel syndrome among male medical students in Majmmah University, Saudi Arabia

Background: Currently, there is a growing concern towards epidemiological and clinical research on functional gastrointestinal disorders. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is defined as a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, and altered bowel movements. It is the most common gastrointestinal disorder. It can be diarrhea-predominant IBS, constipation-predominant IBS, and mixed type IBS. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of IBS among medical students of Allama Iqbal Medical College and to determine conditions and lifestyle habits that may act as significant risk factors for developing IBS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for over 5 months. A sample of 323 individuals was studied whereas the sampled individuals were selected using a "stratified random sampling technique". The study was conducted by collecting data through an online questionnaire during the global COVID pandemic. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. The first section consisted of demographic information, the second section consisted of a standard questionnaire determining the risk factors of IBS i.e., personal food and lifestyle habits, and the last section was aimed at determining whether the person was a case of IBS or not using the widely accepted and used “Rome III Criteria” and determining the predominant pattern of IBS. Results: The frequency of IBS was found to be 15.5%. Analysis of collected data revealed that the predictors for IBS were stress and reduced hours of daily sleep. It was also observed that a positive family history of irritable bowel syndrome predisposed the development of IBS in a person. 30% of subjects with a positive family history of IBS had symptoms suggestive of IBS. Conclusion: The study concludes that there is a high incidence of IBS among medical students because they live under higher stress conditions, concerning their academics and professional duty than students and professionals from other educational fields. Keywords: Irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, stress, food consumption.

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Irritable bowel syndrome among Jordanian medical students: Prevalence and associated factors

10.21203/rs.3.rs-42057/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Khaled Ali Jadallah ◽

Moawiah Mohammad Khatatbeh ◽

Enas Walid Sarsak ◽

Aroob Nabil Sweidan ◽

Baraa F Alzu’bi

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Irritable Bowel Syndrome ◽

Medical Students ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽

Modifiable Factors ◽

Irritable Bowel

Abstract Background The literature on the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its correlates in Middle Eastern countries is scarce. This study aimed at investigating the prevalence of IBS and its associated factors among Jordanian medical students. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study at two medical faculties in northern Jordan. Using convenience sampling, we recruited 1094 medical students. Participants completed an anonymous semi-structured questionnaire inquiring about socio-demographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics, as well as IBS symptoms. We used the Rome III criteria to diagnose IBS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to identify anxiety and depression. The chi-square test was used to determine differences between categorical variables and stepwise logistic regression was used to measure the association between IBS and its risk factors. Results The prevalence of IBS in our sample was 30.9%. Binary logistic regression analysis of factors associated with IBS indicated having a family history of IBS as a strong predictor of the disease (OR = 8.09; CI: 5.84–11.19). Students at second and third-year levels of their study had ORs of about 4 (CI: 2.20–6.54) and 3 (CI: 1.70–5.30) of suffering from IBS, respectively, as compared to students at first-year level (p = 0.001). Increased anxiety score (OR = 1.88; CI: 1.30–2.71), poor sleep quality (OR = 1.76; CI: 1.13–2.76), female gender (OR = 1.59; CI: 1.14–2.20) and living in a school dormitory (OR = 1.35; CI: 1.00-1.84) were significantly associated with IBS (p < 0.05). Conversely, consumption of junk food, BMI of participants, and physical inactivity were not significantly associated with IBS occurrence. Conclusions Irritable bowel syndrome is a highly prevalent disorder in a university-based population in the Jordanian context, with several modifiable and non-modifiable factors being associated with its occurrence. A better understanding of the associated risk factors is crucial for a holistic therapeutic approach. Longitudinal studies are necessary to assess whether this association is causal.

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