Prevalence and Correlates of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) amongst undergraduate Students in a city of North India

GERD among undergraduate Students in North India

Abstract

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a chronic gastrointestinal situation with the indications of heartburn and regurgitation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and its correlates among undergraduate students from a medical college, an engineering college, and a college teaching nonprofessional courses in Chandigarh, a northern city in India. The study was cross-sectional in design and the data was collected using a GerdQ questionnaire. The sample size was 705 students studying in medical, engineering, and non-professional streams in different colleges of the city. The study duration comprised two months. The prevalence of GERD was found to be 11.02% in medical students, 20.09% in engineering students, and 15.74% in students studying non-professional courses. Important risk factors were stress, midnight snacks, tobacco use, and ordering food from restaurants. The prevalence of GERD in all streams was found similar to the prevalence in the Indian population. Lifestyle modifications are recommended in the form of removal of risk factors among students to maintain healthy patterns and balance between study & life.