Prevalence of Gastritis Symptoms Among Adolescents at an Islamic Boarding School in Aceh Besar, Indonesia

Gastritis symptoms are among the most common gastrointestinal health problems experienced by adolescents and may adversely affect their health and daily activities. Understanding the prevalence of gastritis symptoms among adolescents living in Islamic boarding schools is important for developing appropriate health promotion and prevention strategies. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of gastritis symptoms among adolescents at Al-Manar Islamic Boarding School in Aceh Besar, Indonesia. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design involving 160 adolescents selected through total sampling. Data were collected using a structured self-administered gastritis symptom questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that 120 respondents (75.0%) had a low level of gastritis symptoms, while 40 respondents (25.0%) had a high level of gastritis symptoms. These findings indicate that although most adolescents experienced a low level of gastritis symptoms, one in four adolescents reported a high level of symptoms, suggesting that gastritis remains a significant health concern among students living in Islamic boarding schools. These findings highlight the importance of implementing school-based health promotion programs focusing on healthy eating habits, early detection, and gastritis prevention to improve adolescents' gastrointestinal health.