The Impact of Excessive Internet Use on Communication Skills and Mental Health in Cafe Internet Users

The number of elderly Internet users has increased significantly in the past few years. However, the impact of Internet use on mental health remains unclear. In this study, we performed a difference-in-differences analysis using data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to evaluate the impact of Internet usage on mental health among elderly individuals. A total of 5031 validated respondents were included to explore the relationship between Internet use and reduced levels of depression as well as improved life satisfaction among elderly individuals. The results showed that Internet use significantly reduced depression levels. Unexpectedly, Internet use was not found to improve life satisfaction. Moreover, discontinuing Internet use was not significantly associated with improvements in depression or life satisfaction. More research is needed to fully elucidate the relationship between Internet use and depression levels, as well as life satisfaction among elderly individuals.

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The Effect of Suicide-Related Internet Use on Users’ Mental Health

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000201 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 348-353 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Hajime Sueki

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Internet Use ◽

Panel Study ◽

Psychological Effects ◽

The Internet ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Suicide Methods ◽

Internet Users

Background: Previous studies have shown that suicide-related Internet use can have both negative and positive psychological effects. Aims: This study examined the effect of suicide-related Internet use on users’ suicidal ideation, depression/anxiety tendency, and loneliness. Method: A two-wave panel study of 850 Internet users was conducted via the Internet. Results: Suicide-related Internet use (e.g., browsing websites about suicide methods) had negative effects on suicidal ideation and depression/anxiety tendency. No forms of suicide-related Internet use, even those that would generally be considered positive, were found to decrease users’ suicidal ideation. In addition, our results suggest that the greater the suicidal ideation and feelings of depression and loneliness of Internet users, the more they used the Internet. Conclusion: Since suicide-related Internet use can adversely influence the mental health of young adults, it is necessary to take measures to reduce their exposure to such information.

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The sleep pattern of medical students: Examining the impact of excessive internet use

International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries ◽

10.24911/ijmdc.51-1618422863 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Abdullah Alghannami ◽

Abdullah Alrashed ◽

Rakan Alshehri ◽

Sattam Alotaibi ◽

Mogbel Alharbi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Internet Use ◽

Sleep Pattern ◽

Excessive Internet Use ◽

The Impact

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Unravelling the Web

Virtual Communities ◽

10.4018/978-1-60960-100-3.ch719 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 2433-2453

Author(s):

Laura Widyanto ◽

Mark Griffiths

Keyword(s):

Internet Addiction ◽

Internet Use ◽

Empirical Literature ◽

Internet Addiction Disorder ◽

Internet Users ◽

Pathological Internet Use ◽

Excessive Internet Use ◽

The Web

It has been alleged by some academics that excessive Internet use can be pathological and addictive. This chapter reviews what is known from the empirical literature on “Internet addiction” and its derivatives (e.g., Internet Addiction Disorder, Pathological Internet Use etc.) and assesses to what extent it exists. The chapter briefly overviews (i) the history and concept of Internet addiction, (ii) research on (adolescent and adult) Internet addiction, (iii) the attraction of the online world to adolescents, (iv) Internet users in their own words, an (v) an examination of online versus offline identity. The chapter has demonstrated that research into adolescent Internet addiction is a relatively little studied phenomenon although most effects found among adult users are thought to occur among adolescents too. In conclusion it would appear that if Internet addiction does indeed exist, it affects only a relatively small percentage of the online population and there is very little evidence that it is problematic among adolescents.

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The Association of Internet Use with Wellbeing, Mental Health and Health Behaviours of Persons with Disabilities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16183252 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (18) ◽

pp. 3252 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mariusz Duplaga ◽

Katarzyna Szulc

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Internet Use ◽

People With Disabilities ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Psychological Help ◽

The Internet ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Internet Users ◽

Degree Of Disability ◽

Use Of The Internet

Introduction: There is strong evidence that people with disabilities suffer from a significant digital divide. However, there are reports indicating that Internet use may result in many benefits for those with disabilities. The aim of the study was to assess the impact that the use of the Internet has on the wellbeing and health behaviours of persons with disabilities. Methods: An analysis was carried out using the dataset obtained from Social Diagnosis, a panel study undertaken on a nationally representative sample. The records of persons with disabilities were retrieved from the dataset which was established in 2015. An analysis of the association between Internet use and the wellbeing, mental health and health behaviours of the respondents was undertaken. The variables reflecting the self-assessment of their own life and experience of loneliness were treated as being indicators of their wellbeing and the prevalence of suicidal thoughts or making use of psychological help as indicators of mental health. The health behaviours analysed in the study included smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and undertaking physical activity. For all these variables, multivariate logistic regression models were developed. The effect of Internet use was adjusted for sociodemographic variables and the degree of disability. An analysis was performed after applying post-stratification weights available from the Social Diagnosis study. Results: The weighted study group consisted of 2529 people having a mean age of 59.33 ± 16.89 years. The group included 20.71% (N = 524) respondents with a mild, 41.58% (N = 1052) with a moderate, and 26.54% (N = 671) with a severe disability. The proportion of Internet users was 37.07% (N = 937). In all the regression models, Internet use had a significant impact on the dependent variables. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables and the degree of disability, the Internet users more frequently assessed their lives as happy (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.47–2.37) and less frequently experienced loneliness (0.63, 0.49–0.81) or suicidal thoughts (0.47, 0.35–0.65). In addition, they needed psychological help less frequently (0.50, 0.35–0.72). Interestingly, Internet users undertook some form of physical activity or sport more often (2.41, 1.87–3.13) and fewer smoked cigarettes (0.70, 0.54–0.91) or consumed alcohol excessively (0.32, 0.19–0.56). Conclusions: The use of the Internet by people with disabilities was associated with improved wellbeing, better mental health and more beneficial health behaviours. These findings support the development of intensive actions to reduce the digital divide for the population of people with disabilities.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health: The Role of Locus on Control and Internet Use

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17196985 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (19) ◽

pp. 6985

Author(s):

Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir ◽

Ingibjorg E. Thorisdottir ◽

Haukur Freyr Gylfason

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Locus Of Control ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Internet Use ◽

Online Survey ◽

The United States ◽

The Internet ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

The Impact

The true extent of the mental health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are unclear, but early evidence suggests poorer mental health among those exposed to the pandemic. The Internet may have differential effects, by both connecting people with resources, or reinforce the constant checking of negative information. Moreover, locus of control becomes important in an uncontrollable pandemic. The current study aimed to examine whether exposure to COVID-19 would relate to greater symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and to examine the role of internet use and locus of control. Adults in the United States and five European countries (N = 1723) answered an online survey through the website Mturk. Results show elevated psychological symptoms among those who have become infected with COVID-19 or perceive themselves to be at high risk if infected. Experience using the Internet relates to fewer symptoms, but information seeking is associated with more symptoms. Internet social capital relates to fewer symptoms of depression. Having an external locus of control relates to greater symptoms. These findings suggest that public health officials need to focus on the mental health effects of the pandemic, and that internet use and locus of control could be targets to improve mental health in the population.

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The Impact of Suicidality-Related Internet Use: A Prospective Large Cohort Study with Young and Middle-Aged Internet Users

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0094841 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. e94841 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Hajime Sueki ◽

Naohiro Yonemoto ◽

Tadashi Takeshima ◽

Masatoshi Inagaki

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Internet Use ◽

Large Cohort ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Internet Users ◽

Large Cohort Study ◽

The Impact

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The association between Internet use and health outcomes in the population of older adults

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.443 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

K Szulc ◽

M Duplaga

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Status ◽

Health Services ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Internet Use ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

The Internet ◽

Internet Users ◽

Health Related ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The Internet has become one of the primary sources of health-related information. Less is known about the impact of Internet access and use on health-related outcomes in the older population, which frequently suffer from a digital divide. The main objective of this study was the assessment of the associations between Internet use and variables reflecting health status, the use of health services and health behaviours in the population at least 50 years old. Methods The analysis was carried out on the data set from the telephone-based survey in a sample of 1000 respondents representative for targeted age strata of Polish society. The effects of Internet use were assessed with logistic regression models after adjusting for key socioeconomic variables. Results Mean age (standard deviation) of respondents was 64.2 (9.6). In the study group, 51.1% respondents were Internet users, 19.4% - persons with disabilities, 21.2% were hospitalised at least once, and 51.0% visited health care facilities at least six times in preceding 12 months. The respondents being Internet users less frequently reported chronic diseases (OR, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.16-0.30), disability status (0.52, 0.37-0.72) and higher self-assessed health status (1.64, 1.24-2.16). They also less often used health services in the preceding 12 months (0.77, 0.60-0.99. Internet use was not associated with hospital admission in the preceding year (1.04, 0.76-1.41) and most of the health behaviours (smoking: 1.06, 0.77-1.45, physical activity: 0.85, 0.63-1.15, the consumption of fruits and vegetables: 0.73, 0.50-1.07). Interestingly, Internet users drunk more alcohol (1.52, 1.14-2.02). Conclusions In the population of older adults, the use of the Internet is associated with variables reflecting health status and the utilisation of health services. Higher health status and lower prevalence of chronic conditions among Internet users were found after adjusting for age and other socioeconomic factors. Key messages It was shown that Internet use may be related with more favourable health outcomes. The reported association should trigger further research on the impact of Internet in elderly persons.

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Problematic Internet use and associated mental health issues in South Korean Internet users

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1741 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s868-s868

Author(s):

T.K. Lee ◽

J. Kim ◽

E.J. Kim ◽

G. Kim ◽

S. Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Nicotine Dependence ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Internet Use ◽

Problematic Internet Use ◽

Health Issues ◽

Caffeine Consumption ◽

South Korean ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Internet Users

IntroductionThe Internet is commonly used in modern society; however, Internet use may become a problematic behaviour. There is an increasing need for research on problematic Internet use (PIU) and its’ associated risk factors.ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the prevalence and health correlates of problematic Internet use among South Korean adults.MethodsWe recruited the participants aged between 18 and 84 years old among the online panel of an online research service. The sample size of the survey was 500. Of these 500 participants, 51.4% (n = 257) were men and 48.6% (n = 243) were women. A participant was classified as a problematic Internet use (PIU) if his/her total score of Young's Internet Addiction Scale (YIA) was above 50. Stress Response Index (SRI), Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence, lifetime average caffeine consumption, and sociodemographic query form were used in the collection of data. The t test and chi-square test were used for data analysis.ResultsOne hundred ninety-seven (39.4%) of the participants was classified into the PIU group. There was no difference of gender and education between PIU and normal users. However, PIU group was younger (mean 39.5 years) than normal users (mean 45.8 years). PIU group was more likely to have high levels of perceived stress, nicotine dependence, and drink more often caffeinated beverages (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThese data indicate that problematic Internet use is associated with perceived stress level, nicotine and caffeine use in South Korean Internet users. More research is needed to better understand the relationship between Internet use and mental health issues.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Exploring the Relationship Between Internet Use and Mental Health Among Older Adults in England: Longitudinal Observational Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/15683 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. e15683

Author(s):

Sabrina Sze Man Lam ◽

Stephen Jivraj ◽

Shaun Scholes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Internet Use ◽

Information Access ◽

Moderating Effect ◽

The Internet ◽

Occupational Class ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Background There is uncertainty about the impact of internet use on mental health in older adults. Moreover, there is very little known specifically about the impact of particular purposes of internet use. Objective This study aims to investigate the longitudinal relationship between two distinct concepts of mental health with the frequency of internet use among older adults: the moderating role of socioeconomic position (SEP) and the association between specific purposes of internet use. Methods Longitudinal fixed and random effects (27,507 person-years) models were fitted using waves 6-8 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing to examine the relationship between different aspects of internet use (frequency and purpose) and two mental health outcomes (depression and life satisfaction). The potential moderating effect of SEP on these associations was tested using interaction terms. Results Infrequent internet use (monthly or less vs daily) was predictive of deteriorating life satisfaction (β=−0.512; P=.02) but not depression. Education and occupational class had a moderating effect on the association between frequency of internet use and mental health. The associations were stronger in the highest educational group in both depression (P=.09) and life satisfaction (P=.02), and in the highest occupational group in life satisfaction (P=.05) only. Using the internet for communication was associated with lower depression (β=−0.24; P=.002) and better life satisfaction (β=.97; P<.001), whereas those using the internet for information access had worse life satisfaction (β=−0.86; P<.001) compared with those who did not. Conclusions Policies to improve mental health in older adults should encourage internet use, especially as a tool to aid communication.

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