title: Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and its Association with Anxiety among Medical Students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) among medical students of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and to observe the association between anxiety and IBS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional observational study conducted during academic year 2015-2016 has used two self-administered, pre-validated questionnaires: Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and Rome III criteria. The sample size was 270, and proportional allocation was used to determine distribution of this sample across study population based on percentages of students in each academic year. Convenience sampling was used to select participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of IBS was 21% (n=57), with a higher prevalence among females (26%, n=23) than males (19%, n=34). IBS was most and least prevalent among first-year students (14%, n=5) and fifth-year students (29%, n=21) respectively. Anxiety levels were normal, mild, moderate, and severe or extremely severe in 39% (n=105), 7% (n=19), 26% (n=70), and 27%. A significant association was found between gender & IBS and anxiety levels & IBS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of IBS in this study was 21% and higher among females than males but were highest among fifth-year students for both genders. More than 50% of students had moderate or high levels of anxiety for both genders. The prevalence of IBS was highest among students of 5thfifth year. The study provides evidence that, as medical students of higher year of their under graduation were having higher level of anxiety which leads to IBS.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Meshal Khaled Alaqeel, Consultant Psychiatry and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Meshal Khaled
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Alaqeel
authors.affiliation: Dr. Nasser Abdullah Alowaimer, MBBS. Medical Interns, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nasser Abdullah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Alowaimer
authors.affiliation: Dr. Anas Fahad Alonezan, MBBS. King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Anas Fahad
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Alonezan
authors.affiliation: Dr. Nawaf Yousef Almegbel, MBBS. King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nawaf Yousef
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Almegbel
authors.affiliation: Dr. Fahad Yousef Alaujan, MBBS. Medical Interns, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fahad Yousef
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Alaujan
keywords: Anxiety; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Medical students