• Nahla Khamis Ragab Ibrahim, Wijdan Fahad Battarjee, and Samia Ahmed Almehmadi.
• Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. nahlakhamis@yahoo.com
• Libyan J Med. 2013 Sep 19; 8 (1): 2128721287.

BackgroundIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a frequent, costly, and potentially disabling gastrointestinal disorder. Medical education is among the most challenging and the most stressful education, and this may predispose to high rates of IBS.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and predictors of IBS among medical students and interns in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 597 medical students and interns selected by multistage stratified random sample method in 2012. A confidential, anonymous, and self-administered questionnaire was used to collect personal and sociodemographic data, level of emotional stress, and food hypersensitivity during the past 6 months. Rome III Criteria and the Standardized Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were also used.ResultsThe prevalence of IBS was 31.8%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the first predictor of IBS was female gender (aOR=2.89; 95.0% CI: 1.65-5.05). The second predictor was presence of morbid anxiety (aOR=2.44; 95.0% CI: 1.30-4.55). Living in a school dormitory, emotional stress during 6 months preceding the study, and the academic year were the next predictors.ConclusionsHigh prevalence of IBS prevailed among medical students and interns. Female gender, morbid anxiety, living in school dormitory, emotional stress, and higher educational level (grade) were the predictors of IBS. Screening of medical students for IBS, psychological problems, and reducing stress by stress management are recommended.

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