Prevalence And Associated Factors Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Healthcare Professionals In Primary Health Care Setting In Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

@#This cross-study aimed to determine the prevalence of IBS and its associated factors among 205 healthcare professionals in the primary health care centers in Al-Madinah City. Cluster sampling was used to select 16 primary health centers from the four regions of the city. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data about socio-demographics, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Rome IV Diagnostic Questionnaire, dysphoria scale, and performance scale. Mean (SD) age of participant was 34.5 (6.6). Majority were nurses (40%) and Saudi (93.7%). The prevalence of IBS was 16%. Factors associated with IBS in the univariate analysis were nationality(p=0.023) anxiety (p=0.010), depression (p<0.001), performance (p<0.001) and dysphoria (p=0.003). In multivariate analysis, the significant predictor of IBS was depression (aOR=1.3, 95%CI 1.2-1.4, p<0.001). In conclusion, the prevalence of IBS among healthcare professionals in the current study was 16.1%, with predominantly IBS-Constipation subtype. IBS was associated mainly with depression. Future intervention studies are recommended to establish possible causal inferences between psychological morbidities and quality of life domains for rectification on treatment aspects of IBS.