Internet Addiction and Its Relationship to Gender, Depression and Anxiety Among Medical Students in Anbar Governorate-West of Iraq

Author(s):  
Ameel F Al Shawi ◽  
Aseel K Hameed ◽  
Aatika I Shalal ◽  
Sara S Abd Kareem ◽  
Mujtabaa A Majeed ◽  
...  

Introduction The rapid increase of internet using was associated with a rise in internet addiction (IA) especially among adolescent and young adults that may associated with underlying psychological disorders. The aims of the study: a) to estimate the prevalence of internet addiction among medical students in Anbar governorate, b) to assess the effect of internet addiction on mental health by measuring the association of IA with depression and anxiety among the students. Methods A cross sectional study was carried out during the period from February to April 2019. A self-administered questionnaire was used which consisted from demographic questions, the Young Internet Addiction test to evaluate the internet addiction among the subjects and the Depression Anxiety stress scales (DASS) for assessing the depression and anxiety symptoms among the medical students. Results 47.5% of the subjects had mild internet addiction, proportion of moderate addiction among the participants was 23%. There was a significant association between internet addiction with depression and anxiety. The subjects with internet addiction had OR = 2.302 for depression development (P < 0.001), also the students with internet addiction had OR= 3.088 for anxiety development (p < 0.001). Conclusion High rate of internet addiction among medical students in Anbar city- west of Iraq and there was significant association between internet addition and mental disorders of the subjects.

Author(s):  
Priyanka . ◽  
R K Pal

Introduction: Excessive use of the Internet affects the academic achievements of students. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Internet addiction and the pattern of Internet use among undergraduate medical students. Method: This analytical cross-sectional study conducted on 177 undergraduate medical students in batch 2016, 2017 and 2018, who were included in this study by convenience sampling method. The study tool was  Young’s Internet Addiction Test containing questions regarding the pattern of Internet use. Data entry and analysis was done by using Microsoft excel and SPSS version 21. Qualitative data were described in terms of frequency and percentage while quantitative data were expressed as mean and standard deviation. Chi square test and multiple linear regression were used to find out the relationship between various factors and Internet Addiction (IA).  The significance level was considered 0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 20.3 years (± 1.19), and 62 % of the subjects were males. The prevalence rate of Internet Addiction (IA) was found to be 56.5% and 42.9% of them were in mild and 13.6% were in moderate addiction category. Being male (β= -0.143, p=0.038), staying at a hostel (β= 0.167, p=0.018), not having a time preference for using the Internet (β= -0.174, p=0.012), spending more time on the Internet everyday (β= 0.201, p=0.000), being always online (β= 0.276, p=0.000) and more years of using the Internet (β= 0.175, p=0.015) were significantly related with IA in students. Conclusion: A large proportion of medical students were found to be addicted to the Internet. Therefore, this issue should be addressed immediately.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salih Boushra Hamza ◽  
Yassin A. Abdalla ◽  
Tibyan Hassan Mustafa Alkabashi ◽  
Ahmed A. M. Mustafa ◽  
Khadija Ala Abdelmaqsud Muhmmed ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:In general, the emergence of new technologies such as the internet, social networks and providing opportunities to facilitate and improve global communications quality have created some threats, as Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), which is an emerging psychological problem across the globe. Young defined it as “an individual’s inability to control his or her use of the internet, which eventually causes psychological, social, school, and/or work difficulties in a person’s life”. Students are among the most critical internet and social networks, particularly during the coronavirus recent pandemic. The prevalence of internet addiction and its association with academic performance among Sudanese medical students has not been discussed yet. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of internet addiction on medical students’ academic performance. Methods:This study was an observational descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on medical students at Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan from 321 sample size by stratified random technique. Data were collected using a questionnaire that contains four sections; the last one is the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), a 20-item scale that measures the presence and severity of internet addiction, developed by Young. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 24. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Out of 321 medical students, 186 (57.9%) were females, and 135 (42.1%) were males, with no general differences regarding the addiction score. Social media was the leading platform for internet use purposes (88%), mean internet addiction score was 47.7; most of the respondents (55.8%) fit into the moderate-level addiction. There is an association between the duration of internet time consumption and the IAT score, with 5-6 hour/day scoring the highest (mean 50.1 ± 14.3) (P-value 0.001). There is a significant association between platforms that consume most of the participant time and IAT score, with games scoring the highest (IAT mean 56.4 ± 15) (P-value 0.001). There is an insignificant negative correlation between Internet Addiction Test (IAT) grade and CGPA (p-value 0.07).Conclusion:The mean internet addiction score is 47.7, and most of the respondents (55.8%) show moderate-level addiction. The Internet Addiction Test’s application to medical students’ sample concerning the academic performance found no significant association between Internet Addiction Test score and CGPA score.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 0
Author(s):  
AnantprakashSiddharthkumar Saraf ◽  
HarshalShriram Sathe ◽  
Manoj Talapalliwar ◽  
Vrushti Patil ◽  
Vinay Kumar ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Ravikiran Kamate ◽  
Sulakshna Baliga ◽  
M. D. Mallapur

Background: Internet addiction is not clinical diagnosis, but a potentially pathological behavioral pattern with symptoms: a loss of control over the behavior, preoccupation with the Internet, using the Internet to modify mood, and withdrawal symptoms. Easy access and low cost of Internet packs- are main cause of development of increased internet use in India. Internet addiction – factors like gender, environmental factors, socioeconomic status, etc. have effect on internet use.Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted during January 2016 to February 2016. Data was collected among 500 engineering students of four engineering colleges of Belagavi city using young's questionnaire. Analysis was performed using SPS 20. Chi-square applied as statistical test of significance for the association between age, sex, residence, SES and schooling. P<0.01 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: The present study revealed that 16.2 and 6.2% of participants had moderate and severe form of internet addiction respectively. With increase in age prevalence of addiction increased. Internet addiction was more among Males when compared to females. Addiction was seen more in students whose both parents were working.Conclusions: Internet addiction is an emerging form of addiction among students with males more than females mostly among engineering students who are dependent on internet for their work, carrier and completion of course Hence it's time to develop comprehensive intervention approach to promote healthy and safe internet use from family, college and peers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1750
Author(s):  
Sowndarya T. A. ◽  
Mounesh Pattar

Background: Adolescents use the Internet for a variety of activities besides gaming; they frequently engage themselves with social networking, instant messaging, blogging and downloading information. Heavy Internet use has been associated with potential side effects, such as loss of control over the use of the Internet, adverse effects on other daily activities, emotional status and communication among family members. Objective of present study to assess the prevalence of Internet Addiction (IA) and factors associated with Internet use among Urban and Rural school students.Methods: A school based cross sectional study was conducted in the urban and rural field practice area of a medical college hospital in Mangaluru. Internet addiction was assessed using Young’s Internet Addiction Test.Results: The prevalence of internet addiction among urban school students was found to be i.e. 83.3%, while it was 78% in rural school students. Mild IA was common among both.  Male gender, smart phones and hours spent on internet were common risk factor for IA in both groups.Conclusions: Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT) is a simple and easy tool to assess Internet addiction among adolescent school students. Need to give importance of outdoor activity and community level education needed to prevent Internet Addiction.


Author(s):  
Cüneyt Ardiç ◽  
Sibel İnecikli ◽  
Celile Hatipoğlu

Background: Our aim in this study is to determine the level of internet addiction in medical school students and primary care physicians and the factors affecting them.Methods: A 68 physicians and 167 students participated in this descriptive study. The participants were administered the young ınternet addiction test, UCLA loneliness scale and asked to respond to survey questions about their ssociodemographic characteristics, and the relations were evaluated with appropriate statistical methods.Results: It has been identified that playing games online, surfing the internet aimlessly and loneliness score affected internet addiction regardless of other variables (p<0.05). A statistically significant correlation between addiction level and age (r= (-0.341), p<0,001), loneliness score (r=0,284, p<0,001) and online time (r=0,387, p<0,001) has been discovered.Conclusions: In this study, it was found statistically significant that students with internet addiction stayed online for long periods of time and it seemed in line with the criteria observed in substance use disorders such as longer duration of use than intended and not being able to spare time for other activities.


Author(s):  
Amina Ehsan ◽  
Farwa Iqbal ◽  
Muhammad Azeem Rao

Abstract Objectives: The objectives of the study were to find out the prevalence of internet addiction and to determine the risk factors associated with internet addiction in medical students. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi from July 2018 to August 2019. Our study population included medical students from all the years of MBBS aged 18-25 years, who have been using the internet for the past two years or more. A Stratified random sampling technique was used. Seventy-six self-administered questionnaires were distributed in each year. Data was entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 25). Results: Out of the total sample of 380, the prevalence came out to be 90% (n=342). Two hundred and twenty-two 222 (58.4%) had mild, 115 (30.3%) had moderate, six (1.6%) had severe and 37 (9.7%) had no addiction. Out of the risk factors online friendships (p= 0.007), online relationships (P=0.035), online chatting (p= 0.009), online shopping (p= 0.009), online games (p=0.023) and online series/movies (p< 0.000) were statistically significant. Conclusion: The prevalence of internet addiction is high among medical students, which is mostly of a mild type. Internet addiction is more common in males and non-hostel residents. Other significant risk factors are online relationships, online gaming, and online series/movies. Keywords: Prevalence, internet, medical students, risk factors. Continuous...


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
N C Aghukwa

<p><strong>Background</strong>. This study determined and compared responses of 5th- and 6th (final)-year medical students on their attitudes to psychiatry as a profession. Also elicited were their choices of area of future medical specialisation.</p><p><strong>Method</strong>. A prospective and cross-sectional study using an adapted 27-item self-administered questionnaire to obtain responses from 91 5th- and 6th-year medical students at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Results.</strong> More than 60% of the students’ first choices for future specialisation were surgery, obstetrics/gynaecology or internal medicine. Psychiatry was the first preference for less than 2%. More than 75% of the students’ views on the overall merits and efficacy of psychiatry were positive, although they felt that psychiatry had low prestige and status as a profession. In addition, the same proportion considered that psychiatry was scientific, making advances in the treatment of major mental disorders, and helpful in liaison practice. More than 50% stated that psychiatry would not be their choice of last resort for residency education and the same proportion felt that friends and fellow students rather than family members would discourage them from specialising in psychiatry. More than 50% would feel uncomfortable with mentally ill patients, felt that psychiatry would not be financially rewarding, and did not think that psychiatrists abuse their legal power to hospitalise patients. Attitudes of the two groups of students to psychiatry as a profession were not significantly different (p&gt;0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> A clinical clerkship in psychiatry did not influence the students’ choice of future specialisation.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwan A Bakarman

INTRODUCTION: Excessive internet use can lead to negative outcomes such as poor academic performance and social isolation. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of the internet addiction and to explore the factors associated with depression among medical students, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.METHODS: The total number of senior medical students was 1049 in the academic years 2013-2014. An analytical cross sectional study was adopted. Stratified sampling technique with proportional allocation to recruit medical students. A self-administered questionnaire was used which adopted the 20-item Young’s internet addiction test (IAT) to explore the internet addictions, while the existence of depression was assessed using the centre for epidemiological studies depression scale (CES-D).RESULTS: The study included 161 medical students, making the response rate of 78.2%. Majority (94.4%) had computer and 99.4% were using the internet. Community sites ranked first (40.6%), whereas general sites, chatting and emailing were preferred by 14.4%, 10% and 10% respectively. Internet addiction was reported among only five students (3.1%). Possible addiction was reported among 74 students (46.3%). Male students (66.2%) were more addicts to internet than females (44.6%) (P=0.007). The 4th year students reported the highest rate of internet addiction or possible addiction (70.3%) (P=0.003). All internet addicts were depressed, whereas 74.1% of possible addicts and 62.2% of non addicts were depressed (P=0.088). However, the trend in the prevalence of depression in the three different situations was statistically significant (P=0.034).CONCLUSION: Internet addiction is growing hidden problem, which has psychological and social impact on medical students and requires preventive strategies and therapeutic interventions.


Author(s):  
G.V. Abhilash ◽  
S.V.V. Jagadeesh ◽  
M. Vijaya Gopal ◽  
K. Santosh Kumar

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