Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a disturbance in the gastrointestinal system that is accompanied by different symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and changed bowel habits without organic pathology. The disease affects 10%-15% of the population worldwide. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors of IBS among male medical students at Majmaah University and its effect on the quality of life.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among male medical students in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia from August 2017 to November 2017. A total of 151 students from second to sixth levels were included in the study. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for collecting the data.
Results: In the current study, 92.1% of included subjects were aged 22-25 years. The results showed that 12.6% of the students had IBS symptoms and signs and only 7.3% of them were diagnosed before with IBS. The most common type of IBS was mixed subtype (61%). The prevalence of IBS-C was 22.1% and the prevalence of IBS-D was 16.9%. IBS prevalence was higher in students who had anxiety (p < 0.001), history of chronic health problem (p < 0.001), emotional stress (p < 0.008), and food hypersensitivity (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: It had been concluded that the medical students at Majmaah University had a lower prevalence of IBS (12.6%). Most cases were of mixed subtype. IBS is related to chronic medical conditions presentations like food hypersensitivity, emotional stress, and anxiety.
Key words: Irritable bowel syndrome, medical student, risk factors
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