Original article

Irritable bowel syndrome-related symptoms among medical students in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Authors

• • Amina Džidić-Krivić aminadzidickrivic@gmail.com Email Amina Džidić-Krivić. (compose email, opens in email app.) Amina Džidić-Krivić ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Department of Neurology, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Benjamin Dizdarević
  • Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Almir Mešanović
  • Department of Neurology, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Jasna Kusturica Jasna Kusturica ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Emir Bećirović Emir Bećirović ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Internal Medicine Clinic, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Amir Bećirović
  • Internal Medicine Clinic, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Minela Bećirović Minela Bećirović ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Internal Medicine Clinic, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Harisa Hibić Kaknjašević
  • Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Semir Hadžić
  • Internal Medicine Clinic, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Emir Begagić View profile of Emir Begagić. Emir Begagić ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Department of Neurosurgery, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Sanel Suljić
  • Department of Neurology, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Samra Kadić Vukas
  • Department of Neurology, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Lejla Tandir Lihić
  • Department of Neurology, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-related symptoms and associated factors among medical students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Methods: This cross-sectional online survey included 176 medical students from the universities of Sarajevo and Zenica between November 2022 and December 2023. IBS-related symptoms were assessed using the Serbian-language Rome III questionnaire, and test anxiety using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s χ² test.

Results: Eighty-four students (47.7%) met the symptom-based Rome III criteria. The IBS-related symptoms group included 75 females (89.3%) compared with 54 (58.7%) in the comparison group (p<0.001). Sweets consumption at least four times weekly was reported by 53 (63.1%) and 45 (48.9%) students, respectively (p = 0.021). Test-anxiety distributions differed between groups (p < 0.001); extremely high anxiety was reported by 12 (14.3%) students with IBS-related symptoms and one (1.1%) without symptoms. Other sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics were not associated with IBS-related symptoms.

Conclusion: IBS-related symptoms were frequent in this medical-student sample and were associated with female sex, frequent sweets consumption, and test anxiety. The cross-sectional, self-reported design precludes causal interpretation and clinical confirmation of IBS.

Keywords: anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, students, surveys and questionnaires

How to Cite: Džidić-Krivić, A. , Dizdarević, B. , Mešanović, A. , Kusturica, J. , Bećirović, E. , Bećirović, A. , Bećirović, M. , Hibić Kaknjašević, H. , Hadžić, S. , Begagić, E. , Suljić, S. , Kadić Vukas, S. & Tandir Lihić, L. (2026) “Irritable bowel syndrome-related symptoms among medical students in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Medicinski glasnik. 23(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.17392/medglas-2191-23-2