A cross-sectional study to assess internet addiction among medical undergraduate students of government medical college in Agra, India

Authors

  • Khan I. Aqeel Department of Community Medicine, S. N. Medical College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
  • S. K. Misra Department of Community Medicine, S. N. Medical College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20204764

Keywords:

Internet, Addiction, Cross-sectional study, Medical students

Abstract

Background: Internet has become an essential part of one’s life in this modern era where technology is taking over the world. Risk of Internet addiction (IA) has increased in this year 2020, due to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, where most of time students are restricted to their homes thus relying on social media to be in touch with outer world, moreover surfing of web, as well as online learning practices increased their screen and internet exposure time. Hence, we conducted a study to assess internet addiction among medical undergraduate students of Government Medical College in Agra.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 medical undergraduate students of S.N. Medical College, Agra. A self-administered, pre-validated questionnaire was used and a total of 488 students responded. E-questionnaire consist of questions about demographic information and internet usage pattern, it also contains Young’s IA test scale to measure internet addiction. Data obtained was analyzed and inferences were drawn.

Results: The prevalence of IA was 61.5%. Mean ± Standard deviation (SD) age of the participants was 22.27±1.59 years and 48.36% were males. IA was significantly associated with male students, higher family income group and higher year of academic course. IA was also statistically significant with higher number of years since using internet, greater screen and internet usage time.

Conclusion: Internet addiction is a growing problem among students of professional courses especially in medical colleges. IA has psychological, physical, and social impact on student’s life. So, it is necessary to develop strategies for prevention of internet addiction.

Author Biography

Khan I. Aqeel, Department of Community Medicine, S. N. Medical College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Junior Resident, MD social and preventive medicine

References

Glossary of Terms. Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Accessed on 20 August 2020.

Volkow ND, Koob GF, McLellan AT. Neurobiologic Advances from the Brain Disease Model of Addiction. N Eng J Med. 2016;374(4):363-71.

Angres DH, Bettinardi-Angres K. The disease of addiction: origins, treatment, and recovery. Disease-A-Month. 2008;54(10):696-721.

Malenka RC, Nestler EJ, Hyman. Reinforcement and Addictive Disorders. Sydor A, Brown RY (editors). In: Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience 2nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. 2009: 364-375.

Viswanath V, Ann ST, Frank KY, James YLT, Jen-Hwa HP. Children's Internet Addiction, Family-to-Work Conflict, and Job Outcomes: A Study of Parent–Child Dyads. MIS Quarterly. 2019;43(3):903-27.

Chaudhari B, Menon P, Saldanha D, Tewari A, Bhattacharya L. Internet addiction and its determinants among medical students. Ind Psychiatry J. 2015;24(2):158-62.

Young K. Internet addiction: Evaluation and treatment. Stud Br Med J. 1999;7:351-2.

Anderson EL, Steen E, Stavropoulos V. Internet use and Problematic Internet Use: A systematic review of longitudinal research trends in adolescence and emergent adulthood. Int J Adolescence Youth. 2017;22(4):430-54.

Hung CI, Weng LJ, Su YJ, Liu CY. Depression and somatic symptoms scale: A new scale with both depression and somatic symptoms emphasized. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2006;60(6):700-8.

Yadav P, Banwari G, Parmar C, Maniar R. Internet addiction and its correlates among high school students: A preliminary study from Ahmedabad, India. Asian J Psychiatr. 2013;6:500-5.

Goel D, Subramanyam A, Kamath R. A study on the prevalence of internet addiction and its association with psychopathology in Indian adolescents. Indian J Psychiatry. 2013;55:140-3.

Beech, Mark. COVID-19 Pushes Up Internet Use 70% And Streaming More Than 12%, First Figures Reveal. Forbes. 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.

Kiraly, Orsolya. Preventing problematic internet use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consensus guidance. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2020;100:152180.

Widyanto L, McMurran M. The psychometric properties of the internet addiction test. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2004;7:443-50.

Krishnamurthy S, Chetlapalli SK. Internet addiction: Prevalence and risk factors: A cross-sectional study among college students in Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India. Indian J Public Health. 2015;59:115-21.

Dean AG, Arner TG, Sunki GG, Friedman R, Lantinga M, Sangam S. Epi Info™, a Database and Statistics Program for Public Health Professionals. CDC. 2011. Accessed on 20 August 2020.

Sharma A, Sahu R, Kasar P, Sharma R. Internet addiction among professional courses students: A study from central India. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2014;3:1069-73.

Karthikeyan E, Thirunaaukarasu D, Norman P, Vidya DC, Mani G. The association between internet addiction, social phobia and depression in medical college students. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2018;5:4351-6.

Subhaprada CS, Kalyani P. A cross-sectional study on internet addiction among medical students. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2017;4(3):670-4.

Shaheen HM, Farahat TM, Gaber HM. Problematic Internet Use among Medical School Students in Menoufia University Egypt. J Child Adolescent Behavior. 2016;4(298):1000298.

Grover S, Chakraborty K, Basu D. A survey of Internet use pattern among professionals. Ind Psychiatry J. 2010;19:94-100.

Morahan-Martin J, Schumacher P. Incidence and correlates of pathological Internet use among college students. Comput Human Behav. 2000;16:13-29.

Yoo HJ, Cho SC, Ha J, Yune SK, Kim SJ, Hwang J, et al. Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and Internet addiction. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2004;58:487-94.

Niemz K, Griffiths M, Banyard P. Prevalence of pathological Internet use among university students and correlations with self-esteem, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and disinhibition. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2005;8:562-70.

Chou C, Hsiao MC. Internet addiction, usage, gratification, and pleasure experience: The Taiwan college students’ case. Comput Educ. 2000;35:65-80.

Kaltiala-Heino R, Lintonen T, Rimpela A. Internet addiction? Potentially problematic use of the Internet in a population of 12-18 years old adolescents. Addict Res Theory. 2004;12:89-96.

Johansson A, Gotestam K. Internet addiction: Characteristics of a questionnaire and prevalence in Norwegian youth (12-18 years). Scand J Psych. 2004;45:223-9.

Dean AG, Arner TG, Sunki GG, Friedman R, Lantinga M, Sangam S, et al. Atlanta: CDC; 2011. Epi Info ™, a Database and Statistics Program for Public Health Professionals.

Sharma A, Sahu R, Kasar P, Sharma R. Internet addiction among professional courses students: A study from central India. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2014;3:1069-73.

Kawabe K, Horiuchi F, Ochi M, Oka Y, Ueno S. Internet addiction: Prevalence and relation with mental states in adolescents. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2016;70:405-12.

Al-Gamal E, Alzayyat A, Ahmad MM. Prevalence of internet addiction and its association with psychological distress and coping strategies among university students in Jordan. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2016;52:49-61.

Cao H, Sun Y, Wan Y, Hao J, Tao F. Problematic internet use in Chinese adolescents and its relation to psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction. BMC Public Health. 2011;11:802.

Ak S, Koruklu N, Yılmaz Y. A study on Turkish adolescent's internet use: Possible predictors of internet addiction. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2013;16:205-9.

Prabhakaran MC, Patel VR, Ganjiwale DJ, Nimbalkar MS. Factors associated with internet addiction among school-going adolescents in Vadodara. J Family Med Prim Care. 2016;5:765-9.

Waldo AD. Correlates of internet addiction among adolescents. Psychology. 2014;5:1999-2008.

Thomée S, Härenstam A, Hagberg M. Computer use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults – A prospective cohort study. BMC Psychiatry. 2012;12:176.

Al-Gamal E, Alzayyat A, Ahmad MM. Prevalence of internet addiction and its association with psychological distress and coping strategies among university students in Jordan. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2016;52:49-61.

Park S, Hong KE, Park EJ, Ha KS, Yoo HJ. The association between problematic internet use and depression, suicidal ideation and bipolar disorder symptoms in Korean adolescents. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2013;47:153-9.

Gupta A. Internet addiction and its mental health correlates among undergraduate college students of a university in North India. Journal of family medicine and primary care. 2018;7.4:721.

Downloads

Published

2020-10-26

How to Cite

Aqeel, K. I., & Misra, S. K. (2020). A cross-sectional study to assess internet addiction among medical undergraduate students of government medical college in Agra, India. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 7(11), 4578–4583. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20204764

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles