Internet addiction among MBBS students at a New Delhi medical college: Prevalence and determinants of a silent pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background and Objective: The 21st century has witnessed a surge in global internet usage, particularly in developing nations like India. Internet addiction, also known as pathological internet use (PIU) or internet addiction (IA), has emerged as a mental health concern, especially among university students. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IA among MBBS students in a medical college in Delhi, India, and explore the association of IA with sociodemographic and internet usage patterns. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 300 undergraduate medical students. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) developed by Dr. Kimberley Young. The IAT measures various aspects of internet use, and scores are categorized as normal user, mild addiction, moderate addiction, and severe addiction. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of onset of internet use was 14.4 ± 1.6 years. Smartphones were the most common devices used for internet access (96.3%), and the mean daily internet usage was 2.9 h ± 0.9 (standard deviation [SD]). The study found that 70.7% of students maintained a permanent login status. The majority of subjects used the Internet for coursework (89.7%) and information searches (88.7%). The prevalence of IA was significant, with 90% of participants being addicted to varying degrees. The grading of IA revealed 10% with no addiction, 54.6% with mild addiction, 32% with moderate addiction, and 3.3% with severe addiction. Conclusion: IA is a prevalent public health concern among medical students in Delhi, with a majority of participants being addicted to some extent. Females showed a higher proportion of addiction compared to males. Certain internet activities, such as social networking and watching online videos, were significantly associated with IA. The study highlights the need for recognizing IA as a public health concern and further research to understand its impact on the youth. Longitudinal studies are recommended to observe the development and progression of IA over time.