Common risk factors of irritable bowel syndrome in the Population of Rawalpindi

Abstract

Background: One of the most prevalent gastrointestinal illnesses is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This disorder's pathophysiology is still unknown. However, a lot of etiological theories point to a bacterial origin. Additionally, numerous researches have shown that psychological and social elements play an important role. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and common risk factors for IBS among population of Rawalpindi Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the frequency and risk factors of irritable bowel syndrome in the population of Rawalpindi It also explored the association of Irritable bowel syndrome with socio-demographic variables and potential risk factors. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Outpatient Department (OPD) of different consultant gastroenterologist/clinicians in Rawalpindi. A total of 341 IBS patients were consecutively selected for the purpose of the study. Data about IBS patients were collected through an adapted questionnaire. Chi-square of Independence was applied to check the association of IBS with socio-demographic and risk factors. Results: Among the 341 respondents, males 172 (50.4%) and females 169 (49.6%) were involved in this study. The frequency of IBS was 39.3% with higher proportion among females. There was significant association between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and common risk factors (p value <0.05) like BMI, Smoking, Chronic health problem, Stress, Coffee consumption, Tea, consumption of Spicy food. Conclusion: According to the study, 39% of the population under investigation had IBS. The greatest risk factors for IBS were weight of respondent, smoking, stress, health problem, intake of coffee tea and spicy foods. Teaching them stress management strategies iv and providing them awareness regarding diet is highly recommended. It is advised to consider all these factors when providing counseling to the patient and relevant services in the expectation of alleviating their IBS symptoms, reducing the incidence rate of IBS, and further improving their QOL. Keywords: Irritable bowel syndrome, prevalence, quality of life, stress, Rome III criteria, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating