A Cross-sectional Study to Evaluate the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease among Undergraduate Medical Students of a Tertiary Care Indian Setting

Abstract

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition characterized by the reflux of the stomach contents into the esophagus, causing unpleasant symptoms and/or consequences such as heartburn and acid regurgitation. GERD in the student stages can have a negative impact on their quality of life, college attendance, everyday activities, and overall well-being of the individual. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted among medical students of a tertiary care setting from August 2021 to October 2021 for a 3-month duration. A convenient sample of 458 participants from all the years of MBBS were included in this study. Results: A total of 458 medical students were made part of this study, of which most of them (58.9%) were female and 41.1% were male. The average age among the study participants was 22 ± 2.3 years (range of 18–27 years). The average body mass index (BMI) of the individuals was 23.48 (range: 14.58–32.41), with the majority (54.8%) of them having a normal BMI. Discussion: In our study, we found that the prevalence of GERD in the medical students of a rural Indian tertiary care setting was 24.2%, and was observed that irregular meal timings and consuming coffee and soft drinks are the crucial risk factors for developing GERD in the medical students in comparison to the general population. Conclusion: Medical students should be trained on proper eating habits, maintaining an ideal body weight, good sleep hygiene, and avoiding drinking alcohol and smoking to lessen the burden of GERD.