A STUDY TO FIND OUT PREVALENCE AND PATTERN OF INTERNET ADDICTION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Introduction: In our day to day life, internet plays very important part. It is commonly used by adolescents and youth.
Psychological symptoms can develop due to its excessive use. Besides using internet for information, education, and
training for diagnosis, as well as patient management among medical students, they are a vulnerable group on account of the time they spend on
the internet. The present study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of internet addiction, understand the pattern of internet use, and to
determine the association between psychopathology and internet addiction among medical students.
Materials and methods: The present cross sectional study was conducted among Final Year MBBS students of a private medical college. A
semi structured proforma used for the collecting information consists of details of age, gender, educational qualification, computer ownership,
place of access (home, cybercafé, or others), type of internet connection, login status, location of internet access, time of internet use, and reasons
for internet use. Data was collected from students using internet for at least 6 months . Test used for measuring addictive use of the Internet is
The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) .
Results : In the present study, 23.48 was the prevalence of internet addiction. Data card was the most common type of internet connection used
by 44.70% students. Most common reason for internet use was for social networking in 35.61% students. Significant association of was found
with variables like gender, computer ownership, login status, and mode of internet access, however. No significant association was found of
students with internet addiction among preferred time of internal use, duration of internet use, location of internet access, and purpose of
internet use .
Conclusion: Internet addicted individuals showed anxiety, depression, loss of emotional/behavioral pattern, and psychological distress. Hence,
measures should be taken to find at risk students, to promote awareness of PIU, and to educate students to use internet meaningfully and
appropriately. Students should be monitored by college authorities for internet use