Internet Addiction In Medical Students.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• The internet has become a ubiquitous tool for research and communication, with global usage soaring by 832.5% since 2005.
• In Pakistan, 25 million individuals actively use the internet, highlighting its widespread adoption.
• Internet addiction is a complex behavioral disorder with significant physical, psychological, and social implications, often co-occurring with other conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of internet addiction among medical students.
• To identify potential risk factors and consequences associated with excessive internet use in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad.
• A sample of 148 medical students was selected using stratified random sampling.
• Data was collected using the academic and school competence scale and the internet addiction diagnostic criteria.

Main Results:

• Internet addiction was identified in 11 (7.86%) of the surveyed students.
• Social media applications were the primary internet usage for 66.3% of students.
• Tolerance was the most common symptom (90.9%) among internet addicts.
• Internet addicts exhibited significantly lower academic performance (p=0.01) compared to non-addicts.
• A significant gender association was found (p=0.03), with higher prevalence in females (12.5%) than males (2.9%).

Conclusions:

• Excessive internet use among medical students can lead to addiction, posing a significant concern.
• The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and awareness programs within academic institutions.
• Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impact of internet addiction on medical professionals.