Irritable bowel syndrome and its associated factors among Jordanian medical students: A cross-sectional study

Very scarce studies investigated the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its correlates in the Middle East, particularly in college students. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of IBS and its associated factors among Jordanian medical students. We conducted a cross-sectional study at 2 medical facilities in northern Jordan. We recruited 1135 medical students. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire addressing sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics. An interview questionnaire was used to diagnose IBS according to the Rome III criteria. Comorbid anxiety and depression were diagnosed by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Of the 1135 completed questionnaires, 1094 (94%) had complete data. The prevalence of IBS in our sample was 30.9%. Binary logistic regression analysis of factors associated with IBS indicated having a family history of IBS as a strong predictor of the disease (odds ratio [OR]: 8.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.84–11.19). Students in the second and third years of their study had ORs of approximately 4 (95% CI: 2.20–6.54) and 3 (95% CI: 1.70–5.30) for suffering from IBS, respectively, compared with those in the first year (P = .001). Increased anxiety score (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.30–2.71), poor sleep quality (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.13–2.76), female sex (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.14–2.20), and living in a school dormitory (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.00–1.84) were significantly associated with IBS (P < .05). IBS is a highly prevalent disorder among Jordanian medical students, with several factors associated with its occurrence.