[The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and factors affecting it among medical students]

ABSTRACT

Irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders that is encountered by primary care physicians and specialists. This disorder affects approximately 15% to 20% of the general population. Also this is the second cause of drug consumption and absence from workplace. These patients frequently refer to different physicians that cause an increase in cost and time loss. We can decrease the signs and symptoms of patients with correct diagnosis, assurance of the patients and appropriate treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of IBS symptoms in medical students in this center. This study is cross-sectional and the method of sampling is convenience of nonprobability. After collection of data and analysis, the state of investigated population, comprising of 197 students, on the basis of; age, sex, marital status, living place, was as follow 40.8% were above 25 years, 73.1% were male; 71.9% single, 74.9% resided in student dormitory. Results suggest that in general, 17% of medical students have got symptoms of IBS on the basis of diagnostic criteria of Rome significant. Statistical relationship was achieved between IBS frequency and sex [P<0.05]. 20.2% of men and 8.2% of women were patients in this study. But there was no statistical significant relationship between IBS frequency between aging group, marital status, and living place. Also there wasn't meaningful statistically relationship between IBS frequency and dysmenorrhea in women [P>0.05]. On the basis of multiple logistic regression analysis, Relative Risk for IBS involvement in men, age more than 25 years, single and living in dormitory with 95% confidence interval was 3.23 [1.01-10.39], 2.79[0.96-8.07], 0.30 [0.10-0. 93] and 2.07 [0.65-6.63]., As a consequence, the frequency of IBS in medical students was similar to the prevalence of IBS in the general community. More prevalence of IBS in male students can be due to sociocultural factors and different stresses between the two groups