Prevalence and Risk Factors for Irritable Bowel Syndrome among Male Secondary School Saudi Students in Najran City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background: Patients with IBS have higher healthcare resource utilization than non-IBS patients in terms of more frequent physician visits, more tests, greater medication use, and increased rates of unnecessary surgery. Aim of Study: This study aimed to assess prevalence, types, and risk factors of irritable bowel syndrome among Saudi Male Secondary School Students in Najran City, Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was followed during February 2020. The study included 400 Male Secondary School Saudi students in Najran City, Saudi Arabia. Aself-administeredquestionnaire was used for data collection. It included personal characteristics, and the IBS questionnaire. A total of 159 male secondary school students (39.8%) expressed symptoms suggestive of IBS. Alternating diarrhea and constipation (i.e., IBS-M) was the most common type (26.3%), followed by those with diarrhea (i.e., IBS-D), (7.3%), and those with constipation (i.e., IBS-C), (6.3%). Some variables were associated with significantly higher prevalence of IBS among male secondary school students, i.e., positive family history of IBS, and diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Prevalence of IBS symptoms among male-secondary school students in Najran City is high. IBS-Mis the most common type, followed by IBS-D. Positive family history of IBS, and diabetes mellitus are associated with significantly higher prevalence of IBS among students. There-fore, it is recommended to provide health education for secondary school students on how to manage and alleviate symptoms of IBS.