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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Apr 15:10:864721.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.864721. eCollection 2022.

The Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Chinese University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Weixin Yang  1 , Xiao Yang  1 , Xianghao Cai  1 , Zhuoren Zhou  1 , Huan Yao  1 , Xingrong Song  2 , Tianyun Zhao  2 , Peng Xiong  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Chinese University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Weixin Yang et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has become a common public health issue among university students, impairing their physical and mental health. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the pooled prevalence of IBS and its associated factors among Chinese university students.

Methods: Databases of PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE (via EBSCO), CINAHL (via EBSCO), Wan Fang, CNKI and Weipu (via VIP) were systematically searched from inception date to May 31, 2021. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were used to detect the potential source of heterogeneity.

Key results: A total of 22 cross-sectional studies (14 were in Chinese and 8 were in English) with 33,166 Chinese university students were included. The pooled prevalence of IBS was estimated as 11.89% (95% CI = 8.06%, 16.35%). The prevalence was 10.50% (95% CI = 6.80%, 15.87%) in Rome II criteria, 12.00% (95% CI = 8.23%, 17.17%) in Rome III criteria, and 3.66% (95% CI = 2.01%, 6.60%) in Rome IV criteria. The highest prevalence of IBS was 17.66% (95% CI = 7.37%, 36.64%) in North China, and the lowest was 3.18% (95% CI = 1.28%, 7.68%) in South China. Subgroup analyses indicated that gender, major, anxiety and depression symptoms, drinking and smoking behaviors were significantly associated with the prevalence of IBS. Meta-regression analyses suggested that region influenced prevalence estimates for IBS.

Conclusions and inferences: This meta-analysis illustrated that IBS is very common in Chinese university students. Regular screening, effective prevention, and appropriate treatments should be implemented to reduce the risk of IBS in this population. More future studies should be conducted in Northeastern and Southwestern parts of China.

Keywords: Chinese university students; associated factors; irritable bowel syndrome; meta-analysis; prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow chart of literature search and article selection process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of prevalence of IBS in Chinses university students. ES, effect size.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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