Internet addiction, behavioural aspects, and health related problems associated with it: a cross sectional study among engineering students of Jabalpur district

Abstract

Background: With the rise of new generation gadgets, the risk of “internet addiction” is emerging as a significant behavioral addiction pandemic to be tackled worldwide. Internet addiction can be defined as an impulse disorder. Objective of the study was to determines the level of Internet addiction in Students. To identify the behavioural and any health-related problems associated with internet addiction among students.Methods: This study was a cross sectional study carried out in 7 different engineering colleges of Jabalpur city during the period of 1st July 2016 to 30th September 2016.Results: In present study the prevalence of internet addiction was found to be 74 %. 26 % of the participants were found with no internet addictions whereas 55 % and 17.67 % of the participants were found to be mild and moderate addicted whereas only 1.33 % of the participants were severely addicted to internet addiction. Participant who has internet addiction has 84.8 % of yelling and annoying behavior while 86.5 % participants with internet addiction have secretive and defensive behavior. Association was found to be highly significant (p = <0.001). Ill effects like problem related to eye have significant effect on the participants with internet addiction i.e. 66.17 %. Association of problem related to eye problems with internet addiction was significant with the p = 0.02.Conclusions: The problem is alarming and progressing to an addictive state in the near future Interventions like setting boundaries and detecting early warning signs of underlying psychopathology at the earliest are required

Internet Addiction a Global Concern: A Cross-Sectional Appraisal amongst Imminent Medical Doctors of National Defence University of Malaysia

“…[27,28] However, our survey discovered that only 5.4% were severe internet addicts and many researchers also found corresponding results. [27,29,30] Interestingly, another experiment reported no severe addict was found at all. [28] Notably, this research revealed that 43.8% of the respondents were mild addicts and 49.1% were moderate addicts.…”

“…Related results that revealed high prevalence were reported. [29][30][31] Nonetheless, the outcome is the difference from other studies, which reported a very low prevalence. [32][33][34] These findings were further reaffirmed by a meta-analysis of 26 studies from China, which reported a low incidence.…”

“…The result is comparable to the outcome of other experiments. [23,[25][26][27]29,31,33] In addition, the meta-analysis of 26 studies from China further confirmed male students are more addicted to the internet than females. [35] However, the outcome is in contrast with the findings of another study.…”

Internet addiction: Prevalence and Effect on health profile of engineering students in Bengaluru city

“…Internet has become one of the most essential requirement of urban man for various purposes like obtaining information, job opportunities, free expression of thoughts, possibility to access prohibited content, involvement in unique games, education, entertainment, including social media sites and networking and is gradually becoming a structural part of our day to day life. With the advent of new age smart phones, tablets, and computers, the internet is readily accessible to the general population or "at the fingertips" [2] . The term "Internet addiction" was proposed by Dr. Ivan Goldberg in 1995 for pathological compulsive internet use [3] .…”

“…Vulnerable individuals can experience boredom, loneliness, and depressive symptoms during this phase of transition and this may indirectly lead to students overusing the internet [5] . Along with that favouring factors such as easy and limitless access to internet, internet dependent courses, communication with peers and mentors through assignments and projects might attribute to the problem [2] . As engineering college students are more vulnerable to internet addiction that may cause psychological problems and that in turn may lead to academic failures, this study was undertaken to determine prevalence of internet addiction, its effect on health and the various factors influencing internet addiction among engineering students.…”