Prevalence and pattern of functional gastrointestinal disorders among secondary school adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria

Limited data exist on functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) among sub-Saharan African children. This study aimed to determine FGID prevalence and pattern among secondary school adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 10-18 years in Isolo, Lagos, Nigeria from December 2020 to March 2021. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 696 students from four secondary schools. Data were collected using a specifically designed questionnaire, the ROME IV questionnaire (QPGS-IV), and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.

The mean age of the adolescents was 13.6 ± 2.1. A total of 221 (31.8%) adolescents fulfilled the criteria for at least one of the FGIDs. The most common FGIDs were functional constipation (10.1%), functional dyspepsia (9.4%) and abdominal migraine (8.6%). There was no significant difference in the overall prevalence of FGIDs between age groups (p = 0.07) and genders (p = 0.949). However, the prevalence of FGID sub-types showed that abdominal migraine, irritable bowel syndrome and functional non-retentive fecal incontinence were significantly higher in the age group 10-12 years (p = 0.045, p = 0.029 and p = 0.027, respectively) while only functional vomiting was significantly higher in male compared to female (p = 0.038).

FGIDs are common among adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria. The pattern of FGIDs shows similarities and differences with reports from other parts of the world. Healthcare workers must be aware of these disorders to provide optimal care.