Functional dyspepsia impacts on quality of life. Due to its multifactorial etiology its characterization proves difficult, especially in populations at risk such as medical students.
Objetives: To determine if behavioral and harmful habits of medical students from eight universities of Peru were associated to functional dyspepsia.
Methods: Multicentric, cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was taken among students enrolled in eight medical faculties in Peru. Functional dyspepsia was measured using a validated test; diet characteristics, alcohol, tobacco, coffee or energy drinks consumption were considered behavioral habits. Furthermore, others from the social and educational sphere were measured. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were made.
Results: From a total of 1.923 students, the median of the ages was 20, 55% were women and 24% suffered from functional dyspepsia. Factors which diminished the frequency of functional dyspepsia were masculine gender (aPR:0,75; 95%CI:0.64-0.87; p < 0,001), hours spent studying (aPR:0,97; 95%CI:0,96-0,99; p < 0,001) and eating following a fixed schedule (aPR:0,80; 95%CI:0,67- 0,95; p = 0,013); however, having failed a course increases the frequency of functional dyspepsia (aPR:1.24; 95%CI:1.13-1.37; p < 0,001)adjusted for age, as well as difficulties to fall asleep and depression.
Conclusion: Many medical students suffered from functional dyspepsia, this being related to several behavioral variables; therefore further studies as well as educational institutions’ intervention is required, due to the short and long term problems that may arise from this situation.