Socio-Demographic and Lifestyle Factors Associated With Internet Addiction among Medical and Health Sciences Students

Background: New innovations in technology produce large opportunities in communication, information and social interaction. The excess in unwanted use of internet by people led to internet addiction.Psychological, environmental and socio demographic factors in the lives of college students may leave them disproportionately vulnerable to internet addiction. Aims and objectives: This study was conducted with objectives to determine the prevalence of internet addiction among medical and health science students and its socio demographic correlates. Materials and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on medical and health science students at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research and PSG College of Physiotherapy, Coimbatore. A total of 490 students were selected by simple random sampling. Validated internet addiction scale was used to assess the internet addiction. Results: Of the 490 students studied, 140(28.5%) students were having internet addiction. The factors associated with internet addiction were gender(males) (p<0.01) and those take frequent junk food (p<0.001). Conclusion: We had observed a high prevalence of internet addiction in medical and physiotherapy students. So strategies for controlling internet addiction is mandatory for healthy and safe use of internet, particularly students studying at professional colleges.