Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common disorder of the upper gastrointestinal tract. GORD is often associated with the western lifestyle; however, its prevalence in eastern communities is increasing. However, there is not enough data describing the epidemiology of the disease and very little that relates specifically to healthcare workers. We performed a questionnaire-based survey on 622 hospital staff from five university and state hospitals in the city of Konya, Turkey to determine the prevalence of GORD in healthcare workers. In total, 598 participants (81%) completed the questionnaire; 347 (58%) of them were female, and their mean age was 31.22 years. Monthly GORD symptoms were assessed, and the prevalence of symptoms was 7% per week, 15.4% per 2 weeks, and 73.6% per month. Age, marital status, education level, profession, smoking, alcohol consumption and income were not correlated with symptoms, whereas sex, body mass index, having a chronic disease and drug abuse were. The prevalence of reflux symptoms among staff from the main hospitals is similar to that in western countries, where it is much higher in healthcare workers. Further research will improve our understanding of the relationship between GORD and stress.
