A Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Its Association With Anxiety and Depression Among Nurses in the Al-Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia.

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Introduction Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder frequently associated with psychological conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Given the high-stress work environments of nurses and the lack of studies on this topic in the Al-Qassim region, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IBS and its association with anxiety and depression among nurses in this area of Saudi Arabia. The research hypothesis was that nurses with IBS would report higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to those without IBS. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 96 nurses working at King Fahd Specialty Hospital (KFSH) in the Al-Qassim region. Nurses were selected using systematic sampling, with a total sample size initially calculated to be 189, but only 96 participated. Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire, which included sociodemographic information and psychological assessments based on the Rome III criteria for IBS diagnosis and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) to measure psychological distress. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results In a sample of 96 nurses, the prevalence of IBS was found to be 19.8%, indicating a notable presence within this population. The majority of participants were female. No significant associations were observed between IBS and demographic or lifestyle factors. However, a higher prevalence of IBS was noted among nurses with more than 10 years of experience (27.3%, n=21) compared to those with less experience (10.5%, n=two), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.126). This study also revealed a high prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression in the nurse population. Moreover, nurses diagnosed with IBS reported significantly higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety compared to their counterparts without IBS (all p-values < 0.05). Conclusion There was a high prevalence of IBS among nurses, particularly those with higher levels of psychological distress. This study highlights the importance of developing targeted mental health interventions for nurses. However, the small sample size and cross-sectional design limit the generalizability and causality of the findings. Future studies should include larger, more diverse samples, and longitudinal designs to further explore these associations.