A study of prevalence and determinants of irritable bowel syndrome in an urban slum community in Mumbai

Context: Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Indian community according to studies varies from 10% to 20%. Only 20% seek medical care which is just a tip of an iceberg. Early detection is needed as it affects the quality of life markedly. Magnitude is not known in slums of Mumbai due to scarcity of studies. Aims: The aim of the study was to study epidemiological factors related to IBS in an urban slum population. Settings and Design: This study design was a cross-sectional and conducted in urban slum. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted among the slum population by systematic random sampling with a predesigned, pretested, semi-structured questionnaire as a study tool. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis used Excel and SPSS software packages. Results: The prevalence of IBS was 12.27%, of which 56% were males and 44% were females. Majority were aged between 25 and 44 years (66%) and married (64%). Most common symptoms were relief of pain after bowel movement (68%), change in frequency of stools (65%) with 51.52% showing diarrhea-predominant subtype, and only 15.15% had visited a gastroenterologist. Psychiatric disorders, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain each at P