An online survey of problematic internet use and its correlates among undergraduate medical students of Nepal

Abstract

BackgroundInternet use has increased exponentially over the past two decades, and problematic internet use has become a problem worldwide. Considering the paucity of literature in the Nepalese context, we aimed to explore this entity and its correlates among undergraduate medical students in Nepal. MethodologyThis is an online cross-sectional survey among 166 students pursuing the undergraduate course at a medical school in Nepal. The tools used for assessment were semi-structured proforma (basic demographic and internet use pattern), a brief version of Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale-2 (GPIUS2), Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form and Academic Justice Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis (bivariate analysis followed by multiple linear regression) was performed. ResultsThe mean age of the study sample was 21.93 ± 2.45 years, with males outnumbering the females. Out of a total of 166 students, 53 students (31.9 %) scored higher than 40 on GPIUS2 indicating problematic internet use. The male gender, lesser duration of weekly physical or sports activity, lower life satisfaction, and presence of self-perceived mental health disorder or problems were significantly associated with higher GPIUS2 scores, indicating an increased risk of having problematic internet use. ConclusionThe present study highlights the different correlates of problematic internet use among medical school students in the Nepalese context. Further studies should be conducted in representative samples from Nepal with a more robust methodology to confirm the findings of the present study.