scholarly journals Prevalence and related factors of internet addiction among undergraduate university students in Ethiopia. A community university-based cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosef Zenebe ◽  
Kunuya Kunno ◽  
Meseret Mekonnen ◽  
Ajebush Bewuket ◽  
Mengesha Birkie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Globally, more than three billion people use the internet daily with young people being the most common users. Internet addiction among university students in Ethiopia has not been studied. Objectives The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and related factors of internet addiction among Wollo university students in Ethiopia. Methods A community university-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Wollo University students from April 10 to May 10, 2019. A total of six hundred three students were participated in the study using a pilot tested and self-administered structured questionnaire. A multistage cluster sampling was adopted for this study. In the first stage, by the use of lottery method, two colleges (College of medicine and health sciences, and College of natural sciences, and one school (school of law)) were selected. In the second stage, 18 departments were selected from the colleges and school. The Young’s Internet Addiction Test instrument was used to assess the level of internet addiction. Results Generally, the prevalence of internet addiction (IA) among the current internet users was 85% (n=466) with 55.7%(n=305) mild internet addiction, 27.9% (n=153) moderate internet addiction and 1.5% (n= 8) severe internet addiction. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, spending more time on the internet (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 10.13, 95%CI: 1.33-77.00)), having mental distress (AOR = 2.69, 95%CI: 1.02-7.06), playing online games (AOR = 2.40, 95%CI: 1.38-4.18), current khat chewing (AOR = 3.34, 95%CI: 1.14-9.83) and current alcohol use (AOR = 2.32, 95%CI: 1.09-4.92) were positively related to internet addiction. Using the internet for more than twelve months (AOR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.18-0.96) and using the internet by mobile internet (AOR = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.20-0.83) were negatively related to internet addiction. Conclusions The current study documents a high prevalence of internet addiction among Wollo University students. Factors independently associated with internet addiction were using the internet greater than five hours daily, having mental distress, playing online games, current khat chewing and current alcohol use. So, we advise that higher institutions should establish prevention programs focus on educating students about emotional regulation skills and the harmful effects of substance use to minimize internet addiction.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosef Zenebe ◽  
Kunuya Kunno ◽  
Meseret Mekonnen ◽  
Ajebush Bewuket ◽  
Mengesha Birkie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Globally, more than three billion persons using the Internet daily, with the common being youths and young persons. Internet addiction among university students in Ethiopia has not been studied. The current study aims to explore the magnitude and related factors of internet addiction among Wollo University students in Ethiopia.Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and related factors of internet addiction among Wollo University students, Northeast, Ethiopia, 2019.Methods: A community university-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Wollo University students from April 10 to May 10, 2019, G.C. A total of six hundred three students were participated in the study using a pretested and self-administered structured questionnaire. The Young’s Internet Addiction Test instrument was used to assess the level of internet addiction. Results: Generally, the prevalence of internet addiction (IA) among the current internet users was 85 % (n=466) with 55.7 %( n=305) mild internet addiction, 27.9% (n=153) moderate internet addiction and 1.5% (n= 8) severe internet addiction. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, using the internet greater than five hours daily, having mental distress, playing online games, current khat chewing and current alcohol use were positively related to internet addiction. Using the internet for more than twelve months and using the internet by mobile internet were negatively related to internet addiction.Conclusions: The current study documents a high prevalence of internet addiction among Wollo University students. Factors independently associated with internet addiction were using the internet greater than five hours daily, having mental distress, playing online games, current khat chewing and current alcohol use.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosef Zenebe ◽  
Kunuya Kunno ◽  
Meseret Mekonnen ◽  
Ajebush Bewuket ◽  
Mengesha Birkie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Internet addiction is a common problem in university students and negatively affects cognitive functioning, leads to poor academic performance and engagement in hazardous activities, and may lead to anxiety and stress. Behavioral addictions operate on a modified principle of the classic addiction model. The problem is not well investigated in Ethiopia. So the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of internet addiction and associated factors among university students in Ethiopia. Objectives Main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of internet addiction among University Students in Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Wollo University students from April 10 to May 10, 2019. A total of 603 students were participated in the study using a structured questionnaire. A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. A binary logistic regression method was used to explore associated factors for internet addiction and variables with a p value < 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were fitted to the multi-variable logistic regression analysis. The strength of association between internet addiction and associated factors was assessed with odds ratio, 95% CI and p value < 0.05 in the final model was considered significant. Results The prevalence of internet addiction (IA) among the current internet users was 85% (n = 466). Spending more time on the internet (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 10.13, 95% CI 1.33–77.00)), having mental distress (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.02–7.06), playing online games (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.38–4.18), current khat chewing (AOR = 3.34, 95% CI 1.14–9.83) and current alcohol use (AOR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.09–4.92) were associated with internet addiction. Conclusions The current study documents a high prevalence of internet addiction among Wollo University students. Factors associated with internet addiction were spending more time, having mental distress, playing online games, current khat chewing, and current alcohol use. As internet addiction becomes an evident public health problem, carrying out public awareness campaigns may be a fruitful strategy to decrease its prevalence and effect. Besides to this, a collaborative work among stakeholders is important to develop other trendy, adaptive, and sustainable countermeasures.


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.


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.


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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Arias-De la Torre ◽  
Tania Fernández-Villa ◽  
Antonio José Molina ◽  
Carmen Amezcua-Prieto ◽  
Ramona Mateos ◽  
...  

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