Internet use among Medical Students in an Institution in South India

Abstract

Background: The Internet plays a crucial role in access to information resources and has got many implications in the field of medicine and health. The use of internet is increasing among medical students for various purposes, therefore we carried out a cross sectional study among undergraduate students, with the objective of assessing the pattern of internet use in Melmaruvathur, Tamilnadu, South India. Methods: A self administered, pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was administered to a group of 285 undergraduate medical students. The information obtained includes the socio-demographic profile of students, access to internet, frequency and purpose of use. Data analysis was done using SPSS v16. Results: Among 285 study participants, majority, 51.2 % were in the age group 18 - 19 years with a mean age of 17.94 years. Female students were more among them, 51.9%. Overall, 84.9% of the students had experience with internet use. Among them, 55.4% were using it regularly and 28% occasionally. Library (44.2%) was the most preferred place to use internet services, followed by hostel (26.7%) and home (23.5%). About half of the students, 50.2% were using internet for personal purposes and 30% for academic purposes with remaining using it for both. Regarding personal use, entertainment and social networking activities are used by most of the students. Google was the most preferred search engine used by 75.8% of the students and majority (87.7%) felt that information communication technology tools would be useful for academic and learning activities. Significant relationship between gender and purpose of internet use ( p<0.01) was noted among the students. Conclusion: Majority of the students had experience with internet use, but the frequency, purpose and pattern of use is variable, with less realization of internet as a learning tool. More internet facilities should be available and accessible in medical institutions and should equip the students with adequate skills for better utilization of internet resources.