Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common functional pathology of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) across the globe. The prevalence rate of IBS varies across the regions. In the present systematic review, we aim to investigate the prevalence of IBS in Arab countries in recent years. To identify relevant studies, a comprehensive search was undertaken in various databases including CINAHL (Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) Ultimate, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. Furthermore, Google Scholar was also explored to identify relevant studies. The inclusion criteria included studies that assessed IBS in the Arab world and were published in the English language. Fifty-two cross-sectional studies from seven countries, encompassing 51,683 participants, were included. The majority of the included studies were conducted in Saudi Arabia (n=40), followed by Jordan (n=4) and Egypt (n=3). The highest prevalence rates were reported by studies from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan. Low prevalence rates (<20%) were noted in 19 studies included in this systematic review. Female predominance in IBS prevalence was observed in most studies, while only two studies indicated higher prevalence in males. Key risk factors included family history, anxiety, depression, gastroesophageal reflux disease, low income, diabetes, low water intake, workload, occupation, food allergy, smoking, age, chronic diseases, and stress. IBS prevalence in the Arab world varies significantly. Female predominance was seen in the present systematic review as well.

Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in the Arab World: A Systematic Review

Almansour

2024

Knowledge, Awareness, and Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the Saudi Community: A Cross-Sectional Study

Baig,

Gazzaz,

Alyoubi

et al. 2024

Background The common chronic condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) lacks any visible anatomical, biochemical, or pathogenic cause. IBS significantly strains healthcare systems by sending a considerable number of patients to gastrointestinal clinics. Objective The present study investigated the knowledge, awareness, and prevalence of IBS among a sample of the Saudi community. Methods The current cross-sectional investigation was carried out from January 2, 2024, to March 15, 2024, using an electronically distributed questionnaire. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) was employed for statistical analysis. Results The study included 1,008 participants (655, 65% females and 353, 35% males). Most individuals (421, 42%) were from the age group of 18-30 years. Among participants, the prevalence of IBS was 31.8% (n=320). Regarding IBS knowledge, 42.2% (n=425) had low knowledge scores, 38.6% (n=389) had moderate knowledge scores, and only 19.2% (n=194) had high knowledge scores. The majority of respondents (886, 87.9%) believe that IBS affects QoL. Most participants (885, 87.8%) had good knowledge of the common symptoms of IBS. Additionally, 85.1% (n=858) of respondents recognized the psychological and emotional effects associated with IBS. Younger participants (under 20 years old) and single participants had significantly lower knowledge scores than their comparable groups (p<.001). Female participants had a higher percentage of high knowledge scores (13.4%) than males (5.9%) (p=.002). Conclusion The current study's findings showed that participants’ knowledge of IBS was inadequate. Around one-third of the participants suffered from IBS. Younger, unmarried individuals and females had different knowledge scores than their counterparts. The study's findings imply that further education and awareness campaigns are needed to improve understanding of IBS.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Its Association With Anxiety and Depression Among Nurses in the Al-Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia

Alqifari,

Alharbi,

Alayed

et al. 2024

Introduction Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder frequently associated with psychological conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Given the high-stress work environments of nurses and the lack of studies on this topic in the Al-Qassim region, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IBS and its association with anxiety and depression among nurses in this area of Saudi Arabia. The research hypothesis was that nurses with IBS would report higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to those without IBS. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 96 nurses working at King Fahd Specialty Hospital (KFSH) in the Al-Qassim region. Nurses were selected using systematic sampling, with a total sample size initially calculated to be 189, but only 96 participated. Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire, which included sociodemographic information and psychological assessments based on the Rome III criteria for IBS diagnosis and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) to measure psychological distress. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results In a sample of 96 nurses, the prevalence of IBS was found to be 19.8%, indicating a notable presence within this population. The majority of participants were female. No significant associations were observed between IBS and demographic or lifestyle factors. However, a higher prevalence of IBS was noted among nurses with more than 10 years of experience (27.3%, n=21) compared to those with less experience (10.5%, n=two), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.126). This study also revealed a high prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression in the nurse population. Moreover, nurses diagnosed with IBS reported significantly higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety compared to their counterparts without IBS (all p-values < 0.05). Conclusion There was a high prevalence of IBS among nurses, particularly those with higher levels of psychological distress. This study highlights the importance of developing targeted mental health interventions for nurses. However, the small sample size and cross-sectional design limit the generalizability and causality of the findings. Future studies should include larger, more diverse samples, and longitudinal designs to further explore these associations.