Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among University Students in Jordan

Abstract

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the commonest diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders (GI) in primary care and gastroenterology practices. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of IBS, and identify associated factors, among university students in Jordan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among students at the Hashemite University in Jordan. A validated, confidential, self-administered data collection questionnaire was used for the collection of personal and sociodemographic data, and the Rome III criteria were used to define IBS. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with IBS. Results A total of 198 students participated in the study, of whom 163 had complete data and could be assessed by the Rome III criteria. The age range of the students was 18 to 35 years, and 91 (55.8%) were women. Overall, 26 (16.0%) of the respondents were diagnosed with IBS. Poor sleep (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-10.4; p<0.01), being married (AOR 7.6; 95% CI 2.0-28.8; p<0.01) and a family history of IBS (AOR 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.7; p=0.03) were independently associated with IBS in multivariable analysis. Conclusion IBS was common among otherwise healthy university student in Jordan. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep appeared to be associated with IBS symptoms.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Among Jordanian Adults: Uncovering the Underdiagnosed and The Triggering Factors

“…Surprisingly in our study, the occurrence of IBS was high in single participants reporting a much greater incidence of the condition contradictory to a study 17 which showed that married participants had high IBS prevalence. The absolute numbers were small, nevertheless, and further research should look into this result.…”

“…In line with other studies done in Jordan 17 , Korea 39 and Saudi Arabia 40 , our study showed that physical sport activity did not appear to be a defense against IBS. Studies on this topic have shown inconsistent results, nevertheless, some have discovered a protective impact of exercise on IBS symptoms.…”

“…29 In other countries, such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Nigeria, similar results were obtained. 33,34,35,36 However, a study 17 showed that there was no correlation between gender and IBS prevalence. Similarly, researches conducted in South Asia, South America, and Africa found that women were not considerably more likely than males to have IBS.…”

“…11,12 IBS prevalence has increased, according to several research conducted throughout Asia. 13 In Jordan, 16% of respondents have IBS according to a cross-sectional study 14 on Hashemite University students.…”

“…16 Additionally, IBS symptoms are influenced by sleep issues, such as insomnia and poor sleep quality. 17 Thus, sleep issues are closely related to IBS symptoms, whether they are subjective or objective.…”