Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(4):326-329 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5171

Prevalence of internet addiction among medical students: a study from Southwestern Iran

Mehdi Sayyah1, Somayieh Khanafereh2
1 Faculty Member of Education Development Centre, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Education Development Centre, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

Objective: In today's world, despite the numerous benefits, increasing demand for computer technology and the influence of widespread internet technology, many people, especially students, have faced impaired mental health and social relationships resulting from internet addiction; therefore, with regard to the contradictory results of preceding studies in the field of internet addiction, this study was designed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction in students of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on all students of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. For data collection questionnaire and demographic profile of internet addiction test was used.

Results: The results showed that internet addiction is common among university students (t = 23.286, p < 0.001). Internet addiction is significantly different between males and females and more prevalent in the male users (t = 4.351, p = 0.001). The prevalence of internet addiction in various categories was 1.6% normal, 47.4% mild, 38.1% moderate, and 12.9% severe. Our analysis also showed a significantly higher proportion of senior students with severe internet addiction (16.4%) compared to junior students (χ2 = 30.964; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study it can be concluded that there is a considerable internet addiction in medical students, and to prevent risks and complications, health considerations and proper treatments seem to be necessary.

Keywords: mental health, addiction to Internet, university students

Received: July 18, 2017; Revised: October 17, 2019; Accepted: October 17, 2019; Published: December 31, 2019  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Sayyah M, Khanafereh S. Prevalence of internet addiction among medical students: a study from Southwestern Iran. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2019;27(4):326-329. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a5171. PubMed PMID: 31951693.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Cheng C, Sun P, Mak KK. Internet addiction and psychosocial maladjustment: avoidant coping and coping inflexibility as psychological mechanisms. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2015;18(9):539-46. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Shapira NA, Goldsmith TD, Keck PE Jr., Khosla UM, McElroy SL. Psychiatric features of individuals with problematic internet use. J Affect Disord. 2000;57(1-3):267-72. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Amichai-Hamburger Y, Ben-Artzi E. Loneliness and internet use. Comput Human Behav. 2003;19(1):71-80. Go to original source...
    4. Anderson KJ. Internet use among college students: an exploratory study. J Am Coll Health. 2001;50(1):21-6. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Brenner V. Psychology of computer use: XLVII. Parameters of internet use, abuse and addiction: the first 90 days of the Internet Usage Survey. Psychol Rep. 1997;80(3 Pt 1):879-82. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Stefanescu C, Chele G, Chirita R, Chirita V, Ilinca M. The relationship between development identity and internet addiction. Eur Psychiatry. 2007;22 Suppl 1:S200. Go to original source...
    7. Yen JY, Ko CH, Yen CF, Wu HY, Yang MJ. The comorbid psychiatric symptoms of Internet addiction: attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, social phobia, and hostility. J Adolesc Health. 2007;41(1):93-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Treuer T, Fabian Z, Furedi J. Internet addiction associated with features of impulse control disorder: is it a real psychiatric disorder? J Affect Disord. 2001;66(2-3):283. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Chou C, Hsiao MC. Internet addiction, usage, gratification, and pleasure experience: the Taiwan college students' case. Comput Educ. 2000;35(1):65-80. Go to original source...
    10. Yellowlees PM, Marks S. Problematic internet use or internet addiction? Comput Human Behav. 2007;23(3):1447-53. Go to original source...
    11. Li SM, Chung TM. Internet function and internet addictive behavior. Comput Human Behav. 2006;22(6):1067-71. Go to original source...
    12. Kim K, Ryu E, Chon MY, Yeun EJ, Choi SY, Seo JS, et al. Internet addiction in Korean adolescents and its relation to depression and suicidal ideation: a questionnaire survey. Int J Nurs Stud. 2006;43(2):185-92. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Kim WJ, Yang JC, Choi Y. Relationship between adolescent internet addiction tendency and family environment. Chonnam Med J. 2002;38(3):235-41.
    14. Griffiths M. Internet abuse in the workplace: issues and concerns for employers and employment counselors. J Employ Couns. 2003;40(2):87-96. Go to original source...
    15. Wang WEI. Internet dependency and psychosocial maturity among college students. Int J Hum Comput Stud. 2001;55(6):919-38. Go to original source...
    16. Young KS. Internet addiction: the emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyber Psych Behavior. 2009;1(3):237-44. Go to original source...
    17. Schuntermann MF. The Duke Health Profile (DUKE). Rehabilitation (Stuttg). 1997;36(1):I-XIV. (In German.) Go to PubMed...
    18. Davis RA. A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use. Comput Hum Behav. 2001;17(2):187-95. Go to original source...
    19. Lavin M, Marvin K, McLarney A, Nola V, Scott L. Sensation seeking and collegiate vulnerability to internet dependence. Cyberpsychol Behav. 1999;2(5):425-30. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Bahrainian SA, Alizadeh KH, Raeisoon MR, Gorji OH, Khazaee A. Relationship of Internet addiction with self-esteem and depression in university students. J Prev Med Hyg. 2014;55(3):86-9. Go to PubMed...
    21. Shepherd RM, Edelmann RJ. Reasons for internet use and social anxiety. Personal Individ Diff. 2005;39(5):949-58. Go to original source...
    22. Weidman AC, Fernandez KC, Levinson CA, Augustine AA, Larsen RJ, Rodebaugh TL. Compensatory internet use among individuals higher in social anxiety and its implications for well-being. Personal Individ Diff. 2012;53(3):191-5. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    Return to the content