The Effect of Final Examination Stress on Bowel Symptoms in University Students
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 尚未招募
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 100
- 主要终点
- Constipation-Related Bowel Symptoms
研究概览
简要总结
This prospective observational study aims to investigate the association between final examination stress and bowel symptoms in university students. Participants will be evaluated during the final examination period, which represents a naturally occurring period of increased academic stress. Bowel-related symptoms, including constipation-related complaints, defecation-related pain, stool characteristics, and urgency, will be assessed. Participants will also complete a 7-day diary to record bowel characteristics and selected lifestyle factors, including sleep duration, daily step count, and fluid intake. These factors will be examined as potential variables associated with bowel symptoms during the examination period.
详细描述
University students may experience increased psychological stress during final examination periods due to academic workload, performance expectations, and time pressure. Stress may influence gastrointestinal function through alterations in the brain-gut axis, autonomic nervous system activity, gastrointestinal motility, and visceral sensitivity. Examination periods may also be accompanied by changes in daily lifestyle behaviors, such as sleep duration, physical activity, and fluid intake, which may further influence bowel function.
This prospective, observational, analytical study is designed to evaluate bowel symptoms among university students during the final examination period. Participants will complete a sociodemographic and clinical information form and will be assessed for constipation-related symptoms using Rome IV-based questions. Additional bowel-related characteristics, including pain during defecation, pain intensity and location, urgency to defecate, and stool type, will be recorded.
Participants will also complete a 7-day follow-up diary during the final examination period. The diary will include daily records of defecation-related symptoms and stool characteristics as well as daily fluid intake, step count, and sleep duration. Daily step count and sleep duration will be considered potential lifestyle-related factors associated with bowel symptoms rather than primary outcomes.
The primary objective of the study is to investigate bowel symptoms during a period of final examination stress in university students. Secondary objectives are to examine the relationships between bowel symptoms and selected lifestyle-related factors, particularly sleep duration, physical activity, and fluid intake. No therapeutic, pharmacological, exercise-based, or invasive intervention will be administered as part of the study.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Observational
- 观察模型
- Other
- 时间视角
- Prospective
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Being 18 years of age or older
- •Being an undergraduate university student
- •Being enrolled in courses with final examinations during the study period
- •Being able to complete the study assessments and the 7-day follow-up diary during the final examination period
- •Being able to read and understand Turkish
- •Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing informed consent
排除标准
- •Having a diagnosed organic gastrointestinal disease that may substantially affect bowel function, such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, or gastrointestinal malignancy
- •Having a history of major gastrointestinal or pelvic surgery that may affect bowel function
- •Regular use of medications that directly affect bowel motility, such as laxatives or antidiarrheal medications
- •Having an acute gastrointestinal infection, including acute diarrhea or vomiting, during the assessment period
- •Failing to adequately complete the study assessments or the 7-day follow-up diary
研究组 & 干预措施
University Students During the Final Examination Period
University students who meet the eligibility criteria and participate in the study during the final examination period will constitute a single observational cohort. Participants will undergo assessment of bowel symptoms and related lifestyle factors during the study period. No allocation or randomization will be performed.
干预措施: Observational Assessment During the Final Examination Period (Other)
结局指标
主要结局
Constipation-Related Bowel Symptoms
时间窗: Baseline
Constipation-related bowel symptoms will be assessed using Rome IV-based questions. The assessment (Rome IV criterias) will include defecation frequency, painful or difficult defecation, large-diameter stools, stool withholding behaviors, sensation of a large fecal mass in the rectum, fecal incontinence, and duration of symptoms.
次要结局
- Defecation-Related Pain(Daily for 7 consecutive days during the final examination period)
- Defecation Urgency(Daily for 7 consecutive days during the final examination period)
- Stool Type(Daily for 7 consecutive days during the final examination period)
- Daily Step Count(Daily for 7 consecutive days during the final examination period)
- Sleep Duration(Daily for 7 consecutive days during the final examination period)
- Daily Water Intake(Daily for 7 consecutive days during the final examination period)
研究者
Demet Öztürk
Assist. Prof.
Lokman Hekim University