European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FREQUENCY OF INTERNET ADDICTION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS; MALES VS. FEMALES

Adnan Bashir Bhatti, MD*, Muhammad Usman, Farhan Ali, Siddique Akbar Satti, Nabiyah Bakhtawar

ABSTRACT

Background: With the progressing easier access to internet; its addiction is increasing in students. This study shows the percentage of students who are mildly or severely addicted to internet and also compares the prevalence between the male and female gender. The study also throws lights on at which age the students are most likely to become addicted. Objective: Assess the frequency of internet addiction among medical students. Material and Methods: Study Design: Descriptive Survey. Study Settings: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan. Duration of Study: 1st May 2014 to 1st October 2014. Inclusion criteria: Medical students who were willing to participate in the study. Boys and girls will be included in the study. Data Collection and analysis: An internet addiction Performa will be given to participants. Collected data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The internet addiction criteria showed that 20.3% of students had problems due to internet usage. Male gender is more affected than female gender with 26.7% of males being addicted to internet and 14% of females addicts. Only 19.4% of students in age range of 17-20 years were addicted to internet; whereas it was much higher in age group 21-24 years with 21%. Conclusions: Male students are suffering from internet addiction more than female students. Students above the age of 20 years are more addicted to internet.

Keywords: Internet addiction, Comparison, Frequency, Gender, Medical Students.