Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and its association with lifestyle factors among medical students in Jordan: a cross-sectional survey

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder marked by chronic abdominal discomfort and altered bowel habits, including constipation, diarrhea, or a combination of both. It significantly impacts quality of life and is often linked to psychological stress and dietary factors. Given the scarcity of multi-university data from Jordan, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of IBS among medical students across three Jordanian universities and to identify associated lifestyle, psychological, and demographic risk factors using validated instruments. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical students from the University of Jordan, Mutah University, and Jordan University of Science and Technology across all academic levels. The Rome III criteria were employed to diagnose IBS. Sleep quality was evaluated using the SATED (Satisfaction, Alertness, Timing, Efficiency, and Duration) scale, and mental health status was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A total of 572 students completed the questionnaire. IBS was identified in 33.74% of respondents. Among those with IBS, 31.1% had the constipation-predominant subtype, 18.1% had the diarrhea-predominant subtype, and 50.8% experienced mixed symptoms. Binary logistic regression revealed that a family history of IBS significantly increased the likelihood of having the disorder (OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.34–2.83). Other significant risk factors included smoking (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.08–2.40) and anxiety borderline anxiety (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.11–2.80; p = 0.01). Established anxiety (OR: 1.53; p = 0.06) did not reach statistical significance. Sixth-year students were found to be at highest risk (OR: 5.16; 95% CI: 1.84–14.41), possibly due to greater academic pressure. Regular physical activity was associated with lower IBS odds, though this did not reach statistical significance (OR: 0.6; p = 0.07). No significant association was found with gender, BMI, sleep quality, junk food consumption, or depression. IBS is prevalent among Jordanian medical students and is associated with both genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors. These findings underscore the importance of targeted mental health and lifestyle interventions — particularly for sixth-year students — and highlight the need for longitudinal research to establish causal pathways. To our knowledge, this is the first multi-university study in Jordan to simultaneously assess psychological, sleep, and lifestyle correlates of IBS in medical students using validated instruments, providing a foundation for evidence-based student health policy in the region.