Irritable Bowel Syndrome among Medical Students and Interns in King Faisal University

Background: One of the most highly prevalent costly gastrointestinal disorders is IBS. It is a consequence of emotional conflicts and stress. So people who are in medical education, they have highest percentage of IBS. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of IBS and its effects on the academic achievement among medical students of KFU, Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among medical students and interns from August 2015 to September 2016 at (KFU) in Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia. All participants were asked to complete a confidential self-administered questionnaire. Diagnosis of IBS was according to Rome III criteria. Results: 173 medical students completed the survey. The prevalence of IBS was 44.5%, with a high prevalence in females (31.8%). IBS was present significantly higher among students who experience emotional stress in the past 6-month (25.4%) and higher among students with a positive family history of IBS. Moreover, IBS was associated with a decrease in the academic performance among medical students (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed a high percentage of IBS among medical students and interns in KFU. Female gender, having emotional stress in the past 6 months and family history of IBS were the main predictors of IBS. However, the main predictor of IBS was in family history.