Prevalence of Internet addiction among university students and its impact on general health
Background: The Internet is widely used by university students as an educational tool. Previous research has shown associations between Internet addiction (IA) and mental health issues, such as depression, as well as physical health problems, including fatigue, back pain, and visual impairments, whi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Advances in Biomedical and Health Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/abhs.abhs_21_25 |
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| Summary: | Background:
The Internet is widely used by university students as an educational tool. Previous research has shown associations between Internet addiction (IA) and mental health issues, such as depression, as well as physical health problems, including fatigue, back pain, and visual impairments, which collectively impact general health (GH). This study aimed to measure the prevalence of IA and examine its association with GH among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included university students aged 18–26 years, from both public and private universities in the UAE. Data were collected using a self-administered online structured questionnaire. Nonprobability volunteer sampling was also employed. GH was assessed using the GH Questionnaire-28, and IA was measured using the Young’s IA Scale. Data were entered, coded, and analyzed using the SPSS 22 software.
Results:
A total of 310 students participated in the study. Students with moderate-to-severe IA were 7.49 times more likely to experience distress than those with normal-to-mild IA (P < 0.001). Medical students were 2.26 times more likely to report distress than nonmedical students (95% confidence interval: 1.20–4.24). Distress levels were higher in younger students (18–21 years) than in older students (22–26 years) at 88.4% and 61.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). However, no significant associations were found between IA and sex, age, educational level, or college-level education.
Conclusion:
IA has a significant impact on the GH of university students in the UAE. These findings suggest the need for awareness programs to address IA among university students given its association with mental and GH risks. |
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| ISSN: | 2773-1545 2773-1553 |