Volume 27, Issue 135, May 2023

The prevalence of IBS among UQU students in Makkah, KSA

Ruba Fareed Mohammed¹, Elaf Saleh Heji¹, Omniyh Fatani¹, Lina I Kinkar¹, Nada Mohammad Allhaiby¹, Asia M Kalantan¹, Reda Goweda^2,3

¹Medical student, College of Medicine and Surgery, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
²Department of Community Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
³Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Community Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects people of all ages worldwide. IBS can be influenced by stressful factors such as psychiatric illness or environmental factors. Aim: To determine IBS prevalence among Umm Al-Qura University students, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Method: In 18 UQU colleges, a cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate students. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to diagnose IBS by using the Rome III criteria. The data collection process started in September 2021 to January 2022. Result: The prevalence of IBS among UQU students was (20.30%) according to the Rome III criteria. 43.2% of students had IBS family history, 28.3% had previously been diagnosed with IBS and 8.2% had chronic illnesses other than IBS. Of them, 53.9% had emotional stress, 81% had educational stress and 84.2% had psychological stress (Anxiety). More than 60% (64%) had sleeping disorders, 14.8% were smokers and 45% were having fatty meal >3 times per week. Of them, 43.1% were having vegetarian meal >3 times per week and 58.4% were not exercising at all. Female students, those in >7 academic year, those having IBS family history, who had previously been diagnosed with IBS, who had emotional or educational stress, psychological stress or sleeping disorders all had a significantly higher prevalence of IBS. Conclusion: Irritable bowel syndrome was found in 20.30% of students in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Enhancing the quality of academic and psychological counseling services may reduce IBS risk factors among students.

Keywords: Prevalence, IBS, UQU, Medical, Students, KSA

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e234ms2938

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v27i135/e234ms2938

Published: 23 May 2023