Restless legs syndrome and its associated factors among Jordanian medical students: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: We investigated the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) among Jordanian medical students and its association with stress, anxiety, smoking, caffeine use, study habits, and academic performance.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and January 2024 among medical students in the Jordanian public universities. Participants were selected to complete a questionnaire (based on the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for RLS) through convenience and snowball sampling.

Results: Among the 215 participants, 11 men and 13 women met the diagnostic criteria for RLS based on their questionnaire responses; the prevalence of RLS was 11.2%. Among these 24 participants, 66.7% reported worsened symptoms during examination periods; 79.1% reported worsened symptoms when experiencing daytime stress; 62.5% reported improved symptoms following physical activity; 66.7% reported that RLS symptoms affected sleep quality; and 45.8% reported having a concomitant anxiety disorder. Meeting the criteria for RLS was not associated with sex, academic stage (basic vs clinical), smoking status, or academic performance.

Conclusion: RLS is not uncommon among medical students in Jordan. Greater awareness of RLS is needed for prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent associated negative impacts.