Internet Addiction and Its Correlates among College Students of Surat City: A Cross Sectional Study
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Date
2023-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM)
Abstract
Introduction: The number of internet users in 2018 was 4.021 billion, increased 7 percent year-on-year. More than nine-tenths of Indian teens use Internet. Due to social distancing norms put forward due to COVID-19 dependency and availability of Internet usage has increased. Objective: To assess the extent of Internet addiction and determine its predictors among college students of Surat city. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted from March-September 2021 among 400 first- and second-year students selected by systematic random sampling from four colleges selected purposively. Outcome variables were Young's Internet addiction Test and Duke Health Profile Score which were assessed in terms of mean score. Univariate analysis was done, followed by t-test, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation to establish associations. Predictors were determined by Binary Logistic Regression. Results: Around one-tenth (12.8%) participants were seen with no Internet addiction, with majority being mild (44.8%) and moderately (36.5%) addicted. Severe addiction was seen in around one out of twenty participants (6.1%). Social networking (32%) and education (34.5%) were the major reasons for use of Internet. Higher pocket money (aOR=4.3), greater monthly internet expenditure (aOR=2.8), ownership of internet enabled mobile phone (aOR=3.9), lying down posture while accessing internet (aOR=4.8) and evening (aOR=2.2) or night time (aOR=8.7) of internet access were significant predictors for Internet addicts. Conclusion: In this study more than four fifth of the college students had Internet Addiction even at young age. Physical, Mental, Social and General health were significantly negatively correlated with internet addiction.
Description
Keywords
College students, Duke Health Profile, Young's Internet Addiction
Citation
Mukherjee Abhishek, Moitra Mohua, Chaudhari Vipul, Gupta Avantika, Patel Geeta, Kosambiya J.K.. Internet Addiction and Its Correlates among College Students of Surat City: A Cross Sectional Study. Healthline Journal of Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine. 2023 Mar; 14(1): 55-61