Addiction Status Research Articles

The Effect of Multi-Strategy Nutrition Education Programs on Hedonic Hunger and Nutrition Status in Adolescents.

Objective: Increasing the awareness of adolescents about hedonic hunger, understanding the difference between homeostatic hunger and hedonic hunger, and adolescents learning to control themselves to stop excessive food consumption are extremely important for a healthy adulthood. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of the multi-strategy nutrition education programs (MSNEP) on hedonic hunger, food addiction, nutrition literacy, and nutritional status in adolescents. Methods: This study was planned using a pre-test and post-test design. The MSNEP was conducted with 132 adolescents (11-15 years; 69 boys, 63 girls) for 4 weeks (45 min-1 h/session). Data were obtained using questionnaires with face-to-face interviews at pre-education (baseline) and post-education (week 4 and week 8). The survey form included sociodemographic information, nine item short version of Children's Power of Food Scale (C-PFS-9), the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (YFAS-C 2.0), the Adolescent Nutrition Literacy Scale (ANLS), anthropometric measurements, and 24-hour dietary recall. Results: A decrease in C-PFS-9 total scores was found compared to the baseline (p < 0.001). While the YFAS-C 2.0 score decreased in boys compared to the baseline (p < 0.05), no significant difference was found in girls (p > 0.05). A difference was found in the ANLS scores for girls (p = 0.01), but no difference was found in the scores for boys during the study (p > 0.05). At week 4, the consumption of dairy products, legumes, vegetables and fruits, bread and grains, nuts, and hard-shelled seeds increased compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). Also, daily protein and fiber intake increased (p < 0.05). Accordingly, a higher YFAS-C 2.0 score predicted greater hedonic hunger. A lower ANLS score was a predictor for higher food taste and food available scores. Conclusions: In conclusion, the MSNEP was found to have positive effects on hedonic hunger, food addiction, nutritional literacy, and healthy eating behaviors. The study revealed differences between girls and boys. In order to maintain healthy body weights in adolescents, it is recommended that the MSNEP be provided in schools.

The Effect of Burnout Syndrome on Social Media Addiction: The Case of Healthcare Workers

Abstract Social media is one of the communication tools whose using and prevalence has increased rapidly in recent years. In particular, the rapid development of information technology and the proliferation of smartphones have created the perfect environment for social media addiction, which affects all members of society, including health professionals. Available evidence suggests that the direct and indirect effects of social media addiction on human health may include, among other things, burnout. This study was conducted to reveal the impact of burnout syndrome on social media addiction. The study utilized purposive sampling technique; face-to-face survey technique was applied for data collection. The findings of the study show that the healthcare workers participating in the study have a moderate level of burnout syndrome and social media addiction. Social media addiction differs according to the gender of the participants. Again, it was found that there was no significant difference in burnout level according to gender, but there was a significant difference according to marital status. A significant difference was also found between the level of social media addiction and educational status. Another important result of the study is that there is a positive relationship and effect between social media addiction and burnout level.

Association between internet addiction and musculoskeletal disorders in Iranian medical sciences students

BackgroundThe utilization of the Internet can lead to adverse outcomes in students’ lives. Prolonged Internet usage may result in academic failure, an elevated risk of musculoskeletal problems, and the emergence of issues impacting the lives of students and their peers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between Internet addiction and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among students in the field of medical sciences.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 314 medical sciences students in Semnan, Iran, were assessed using the census sampling method. The participants’ Internet addiction status and the presence of MSDs were determined through Young’s Internet Addiction questionnaire and the Nordic self-report questionnaire, respectively. Data underwent analysis employing logistic regression test to ascertain the relationship between Internet addiction and MSDs.ResultsAmong the 314 participating students in this research, about 21% and 1.6% of the participants were lay open to and suffered from Internet addiction, respectively. Internet addiction was associated with the presence of pain, discomfort, burning, or numbness in the neck, wrist, upper back, hips, and thighs. For each unit increase in the Internet addiction score, the chance of neck and wrist pain rises by 3% compared to a 2% increase in upper back and hip/thigh pain.ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that excessive Internet use is linked to a heightened risk of MSDs in medical sciences students. Consequently, it is imperative to raise awareness about these complications and promote the adoption of proper posture when using the Internet. Further research is also warranted among diverse student populations to investigate the impact of Internet addiction.

Meaning of Life in Secondary Abstainers from Alcohol (Abstain From Alcohol and Meaning of Life)

Aim: Alcoholism is a major public health problem, and it has not yet been clarified which are the factors that influence the relapse of the disease. Aim of this research is to examine whether there is a connection between meaning of life in secondary abstainers from alcohol and variables (demographic, alcohol consumption and severity of addiction before abstinence) and to determine which variables are predictors of the meaning of life in secundary abstainers. Subjects and methods: The research was conducted in 2019 and 2020 at the County Hospital of Požega, at the Department of Neurology, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology. 113 adults participated in this research who were diagnosed with alcohol addiction and are currently abstaining from alcohol. Results: Meaning of life in the examined addicts in abstinence is low positively related to the length of abstinence (p = 0.030), low negative with the number of hospitalizations due to alcohol addiction (p = 0.013), moderately negative with the severity of alcohol addiction before abstinence (p &lt; 0.001) and moderately positive with financial status (p &lt; 0.001). Hierarchical regression analysis showed that beeing unmerried (p = 0.021), financial status (p &lt; 0.001) and severity of addiction (p &lt; 0.001) are significant predictors of the meaning of life among abstainers from alcohol. Conclusion: It has been shown that alcoholism affects the meaning of life for alcohol addicts, and that it should be considered at the beginning and during the treatment of alcohol addicts.

THE EFFECT OF NURSES' CHALLENGES TO STOPPING SMOKING ON NICOTINE ADDICTIONS

This study was conducted to examine the effects of nurses' difficulties in quitting smoking and their socio-demographic characteristics on Nicotine addictions. A cross-sectional study was conducted between August and November 2022. The study reached 410 nurses. The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the challenges to stopping smoking were used in the study. In the analysis of data; percentage, number, and linear regression techniques were used. It was determined that 30.3% of the nurses had high Nicotine Addiction. It was determined that the mean score of the Internal factors sub-dimension of the Nurses' challenges to stopping smoking was 28.89±8.06, the mean score of the Extrinsic Factors sub-dimension was 23.07±8.36, and the mean Nicotine Addiction scale score was 4.20±2.51. It was determined that the smoking nurse's age, perceived income level, smoking duration, and internal factors sub-dimension of the difficulties in quitting smoking had a 34% effect on the Nicotine addiction test. It was determined that the smoking addiction levels of the nurses who had difficulties in quitting smoking were higher. The Extrinsic Factors sub-dimension of the challenges to stopping smoking of nurses who smoked did not affect Nicotine Addiction status.

Nicotine strength of e-liquids used by adult vapers in Great Britain: A population survey 2016 to 2024.

In March 2024, the UK government announced plans to introduce a Vaping Products Duty that will tax e-liquids based on their nicotine strength. This study examined trends in the nicotine strength of e-liquids used by adult vapers and differences in those currently used across relevant subgroups. Nationally-representative, cross-sectional household survey, July 2016 to January 2024. Great Britain. 7981 adult vapers. Participants were asked whether the e-cigarette they mainly use contains nicotine (yes/no) and the e-liquid strength (no nicotine, >0-≤ 6, 7-11, 12-19 or ≥20 mg/ml). We also collected information on the main device type used (disposable/refillable/pod), age, gender, occupational social grade, history of ≥1 mental health conditions, smoking status and (among past-year smokers) level of cigarette addiction. The proportion of vapers in England using high-strength (≥20 mg/ml) e-liquids increased from an average of 3.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.9-5.0) up to June 2021 to 32.5% (CI = 27.9-37.4) in January 2024 (the vast majority of whom [93.3% in January 2024] reported using exactly 20 mg/ml; the legal limit). This rise was most pronounced among those using disposable e-cigarettes, those aged 18-24 years and all smoking statuses (including never smokers) except long-term (≥1y) ex-smokers. Of those surveyed in 2022-2024 in Great Britain, overall, 89.5% (CI = 88.1-90.8) said they usually used e-cigarettes containing nicotine, 8.7% (CI = 7.5-10.0) used nicotine-free e-cigarettes, and 1.8% (CI = 1.2-2.4) were unsure. The proportion using ≥20 mg/ml was higher among those mainly using disposable (47.9%) compared with pod (16.3%) or refillable (11.5%) devices; never smokers (36.0%), current smokers (28.8%) or recent (<1y) ex-smokers (27.4%), compared with long-term ex-smokers (13.9%); and younger (16-24y; 44.2%) compared with older (≥25y; range 9.4-25.1%) age groups. There were no notable differences across other subgroups of interest. Use of high-strength nicotine e-liquids in England appears to have increased sharply in recent years. Most adult vapers in Great Britain appear to use e-cigarettes that contain nicotine but different subgroups use different strengths: nicotine strengths tend to be higher among those who mainly use disposable devices and those aged 16-24y, and lower among long-term ex-smokers.

Prevalence of smartphone addiction and its relation with psychological distress and internet gaming disorder among medical college students.

The incidence of smartphone addiction has been widely studied, but the research on the relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological distress and internet gaming disorder is limited. This study investigated the characteristics and prevalence of smartphone addiction and its relation with psychological distress and internet gaming disorder. Furthermore, it provides the scientific basis for intervention measures in schools, families, and society. A random cluster sampling method was applied to investigate 656 medical students from grades 1 to 4 at Wannan Medical College in Anhui province, People's Republic of China. The questionnaire consisted of general information, a smartphone addiction scale, an Internet gaming disorder scale, and a Kessler 6-item psychological distress test. The obtained results were first summarized using descriptive statistics. The Chi-square test was used to compare the status of smartphone addiction. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between smartphone addiction and various variables. Our results showed that the prevalence of smartphone addiction in medical students was 49.5% (325/656). Psychological distress (p < 0.001), internet gaming disorder (p < 0.001), and childhood trauma (p = 0.001) were highly correlated with smartphone addiction in medical students. Psychological distress, and internet gaming disorder were positively associated with smartphone addiction (p < 0.000). The prevalence of smartphone addiction is high among medical students in Chinese. Smartphone addiction is highly related to related to internet gaming disorder and psychological distress.

A Comparative Study of Mental Health of Female Adolescents with Social Networking Addiction Status

The aim of the present study was to estimate the impact of social networking addiction status on the mental health of female adolescents. For this purpose, the sample consists of 70 female subjects of age 15 to 20 years. There was one independent variable that varied at two levels i.e., addicted in SNAS (social networking addiction scale) and non-addicted in SNAS (social networking addiction scale). The dependent variable is mental health. The mental health was measured by mental health scale. This scale was constructed and standardized by Dr. Kamlesh Sharma. Obtained data were analyzed by using the Mean value, S.D. value and t-test.

Effectiveness of Structured Intervention Module on Video Game Addiction among Adolescents in Nepal

Introduction: Online gaming addiction has been associated with several detrimental effects in teenagers, such as worsening mental health, elevated levels of psychoticism, anxiety, and depression, strained family relationships, reduced quality of life, an increase in social anxiety, subpar academic performance, and enhanced sleep deprivation. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a structured intervention module on video game addiction among adolescents. Methods: A true experimental investigation was conducted among 348 adolescents from the control and 348 adolescents from the experimental group. The questionnaire was developed using the Gaming Addiction Scale. Data were coded, entered, and analysed using the Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test). Results: The mean age of the participants in the control group and experimental group were 17.3, and 18.3 respectively. The majority of the participants were male in both the control and experimental groups (52.6% and 55.7%). About 39.7% of adolescents from the control group and 29.6% of the adolescents from the intervention group were studying in twelve standards. The majority of the participants in both the control and experimental groups started playing video games at the age of 7 to 8 years. The most popular mode of video game play among the participants in the control (61.5%) and experimental groups (60.3%), was online. Multi-player was highly preferred by study participants in both the control group (71.6%) and the experimental group (74.1%). After receiving interventions, video game addiction reduced significantly among the experimental group, from 42% to 25% during the post-test. However, the status of video game addiction remained constant among the control group at 46.3%. During post-tests, the study found that there was a significant difference in the mean scores between the control group (3.7±0.6) and the experimental group (1.9±0.7). The difference was found to be statistically significant (p&lt;0.0001). Conclusion: The study showed that the structured intervention module was effective in reducing gaming addiction among adolescents in the experimental group. This study highlights that intervention modules can help reduce gaming addiction levels among adolescents.

Study on the Influencing Factors and Countermeasures of Drug Addicts' Relapse

The relapse of drug addicts is a global problem and has serious effects on social and personal health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors and countermeasures of drug addicts. By reviewing the literature method, the research results are summarized and analyzed. In terms of individuals, the degree of addiction and mental health status have important effects on relapse behavior; in terms of families, the quality of family relationships and family economic status are related to relapse behavior; in terms of society, social rejection, social networks, and employment barriers are related to relapse. Based on the research results, we propose systematic prevention and intervention measures, such as strengthening mental health services, strengthening government supervision and support, and strengthening family and social support. This study provides a comprehensive perspective and solution to the relapse problem of drug addicts, and provides a scientific basis for relevant policy making and improving the success rate of drug rehabilitation.

IJCM_304A: A Study on Stigma-Discrimination and Sense of Grip on Disease Experienced by the PLHIV Visiting ART Centre of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata

Background: People Living with HIV face not just a health challenge but also the burden of stigma-discrimination. The impact isn’t just physical; it takes a toll on their mental health. Many internalize this stigma, feeling shame about their condition. It Is crucial to address these issues not only for those directly affected but also to build a society that is compassionate and understanding, supporting individuals with HIV/AIDS rather than marginalizing them. Objective: To determine the level of stigma-discrimination faced by PLHIV visiting the ART center of a tertiary care hospital of Kolkata including the factors associated with it. The second objective is to explore their sense of grip on the disease among them. Methodology: This descriptive method study was conducted in November 2023 among 120 PLHIV (Selected by systematic random sampling) visiting the ART center of the School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata after getting permission from IEC &amp; NACO. Qualitative data was collected via IDI &amp; KII. Quantitative data were analyzed using MS Excel, SPSS v. 16, employing descriptive and inferential statistics. Manual thematic analysis applied for qualitative data. Results: Among 120 participants 45.8% of the participants faced more stigma &amp; discrimination in comparison to others. There was a statistically significant difference in the level of stigma &amp; discrimination based on their age group (p-value 0.033), type of family (p-value 0.014), Addiction status (p-value 0.037), co-morbidities (p-value 0.011), viral load (p-value 0.033). On exploring sense of grip on disease majority of the participants were shown to have a compliant profile. Conclusion: The levels of stigma- discrimination were associated with their behavioral &amp; disease characteristics. Thus, raising awareness is essential to combat stigma and enhance sense of grip on the disease.

Dietary and quality-of-life outcomes of the FoodFix intervention for addictive eating: a short report.

Interest in addictive eating continues to grow from both a research and clinical perspective. To date, dietary assessment alongside food addiction status is limited, with management options for addictive eating behaviours variable, given the overlap with myriad conditions. The aim of this study was to report the dietary intake and quality-of-life outcomes from a personality-targeted motivational interviewing intervention delivered by dietitians using telehealth. The study was conducted in adults exceeding their healthy-weight range with symptoms of addictive eating, as defined by the Yale Food Addiction Scale. The 52 participants were randomised to either intervention or control, with 49 participants commencing the intervention. Individuals participated in the 3-month, three-session FoodFix interventions, with dietary outcomes assessed by the Australian Eating Survey and quality of life assessed using the SF-36 at baseline and 3 months. There were small-to-moderate effect sizes, specifically in the intervention group for decreased added sugar intake, increased protein intake, increased meat quality and increased vegetable servings per day. Six out of eight quality-of-life domains had small-to-moderate effect sizes. This intervention has highlighted the need for further research in larger sample sizes to assess dietary behaviour change by those who self-report addictive eating.

Nutritional status changes in the treatment of substance use disorder: Relationship with substance craving

Tailored nutrition counseling enhances the efficacy of routine treatment for substance (alcohol/drugs) use disorders (SUDs). For this purpose, it is important to understand the current nutritional status of addicts and the changes in their nutritional status during the treatment process. Furthermore, the consumption of sweets to manage substance cravings is common among people with SUDs, but the evidence for the effectiveness of this practice is limited and conflicting. We therefore hypothesized SUD treatment would be associated with increases in appetite, nutrient intake, and anthropometric measurements in addicts, and that these changes, including changes in sweet consumption, would not be associated with decreased substance craving. Data for this prospective observational study were collected from 38 adult male patients who completed 21 days of inpatient SUD treatment. During the treatment, the participants' levels of appetite (P < 1.0 × 10−4), the frequency of main meals (P < 1.0 × 10−4), intake of macro- and micronutrients (P < .05 for each), and anthropometric measurements (P ≤ 5.9 × 10−4), significantly increased. Furthermore, it was found that the patients had a significant increase in sweets craving (P < 1.0 × 10−4) and sweets consumption (P = 1.2 × 10−3) during treatment. However, there was no significant difference between the individuals whose craving decreased and those whose craving did not decrease at the end of the treatment (P > .05 for both). The findings suggest the need to offer dietary counseling to individuals undergoing inpatient SUD treatment, given the substantial changes in nutritional status, and that increased consumption of sweets is not an effective strategy to reduce substance craving.

Serum vitamin E, C and A status of the drug addicts undergoing detoxification: influence of drug habit, sexual practice and lifestyle factors

Serum vitamin E, C and A status of the drug addicts undergoing detoxification: influence of drug habit, sexual practice and lifestyle factors

Food addiction and its impact on weight status in children and adolescents: The mediating role of responsive eating pattern.

This research explores the relationships between food addiction (FA), eating behaviours, and weight status in school-aged children and adolescents, aiming to understand how FA influences weight. By using a cross-sectional design, 426 healthy children and their parents were enroled in Eastern China. FA was assessed using the Chinese version of the Dimensional Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (dYFAS-C 2.0), while eating patterns were identified using latent profile analysis (LPA) derived from the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Weight status was indicated by Body Mass Index Z Score (BMIZ) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). The associations among FA, eating patterns, and weight status were explored using structural equation modelling (SEM). Two eating patterns, the Responsive and the Controlled Eating Patterns, were identified. The Responsive Eating Pattern was characterized by high food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, emotional eating, fast eating, low satiety responsiveness, and food fussiness and was associated with FA and weight status (p < 0.001). The SEM results showed the Responsive Eating Pattern partially mediated the relationship between FA and weight status, with a mediation effect of 1.183 (95% CI [0.784, 1.629]) for BMIZ and 0.043 (95% CI [0.025, 0.063]) for WHtR. Increased FA is associated with a higher weight status through a specific eating behaviour pattern characterized by high responsiveness to food, emotional and rapid eating habits, and low satiety. The findings suggest that targeted interventions should take these eating behaviour patterns into account to reduce the impact of FA on weight status among children and adolescents.

Prevalence and causes of social media usage and addiction status of pregnant women

BackgroundThis study was conducted to determine the prevalence and causes of social media usage and the addiction status of pregnant.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study, which was conducted in the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinics of a university and state hospital between December 2019 and February 2020 in a city in the west of Turkey, aims to determine the prevalence and causes of social media usage and the addiction status of pregnant women. 500 people were included in the study. The data were collected with the face-to-face interview technique in the outpatient clinics.ResultsThe prevalence of the pregnant women’s social media usage was found to be 100%. The average daily social media usage was 3.5 h, whereas the social media addiction index was X̅ = 65.58. There were 358 pregnant women (71.6%) with high social media addiction scores.ConclusionsIn the study, it was concluded that all the pregnant women used social media and that most of them had a high level of social media addiction. Healthcare professionals should promote the conscious and balanced use of social media by organizing educational programs related to the accessibility of accurate and reliable online content for pregnant women at every stage of healthcare, and the dangers and addiction of social media.

The link between Facebook addiction and depression among university students: Evidence from a lower-middle income country.

Among all the social media, Facebook is the most popular social networking site among students. That raises a chance of excessive Facebook usage being a form of addiction to hamper students' mental health. The primary goal of this study was to find the association of Facebook addiction with the depression level of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four hundred ten university students from Bangladesh were selected randomly as samples for this investigation. In this study, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale and nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire were used to assess the level of Facebook Addiction and depression status of the students, respectively. Ordered probit models were employed to identify the connection between Facebook addiction and depression. Ordinary least square models were utilized further to check the robustness of the findings. Ordered probit results confirm that Facebook addiction increases the likelihood of having heightened depression among university students. Besides, sex, household income, and history of being infected by COVID-19 also appeared to be correlated with the depression level of the students. Creating opportunities for students to participate in more physically demanding outdoor activities should be prioritized as it could ultimately enhance their capacity to mitigate depression. Appropriate measures must be taken to increase the number of recreational facilities on the campus for students, considering their age, gender, and preferences.

Health status outcome among cannabis addicts after treatment of addiction.

The abuse of Cannabis is a widespread issue in the Asir region. It has a lot of legal and occupational repercussions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health status of cannabis addicts at admission and after treatment using body mass index, glycemic status, liver function, renal function, and oxidative stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 120 participants. The study was conducted at Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health in Asir region of Saudi Arabia, with 100 hospitalized patients receiving addiction treatment and 20 healthy volunteers. The participants were divided into two groups: group I, the control group, and group II, the cannabis addicts. The socio-demographic data were gathered. The level of cannabis in the urine and the CWAS [Cannabis Withdrawal Assessment Scale] were determined. In addition, the Body Mass Index [BMI], vital signs [temperature, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate], serum levels of albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP, urea, creatinine, Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS], superoxide dismutase [SOD], reduced glutathione [GSH], and catalase [CAT] were analyzed on the first day of admission and after treatment. According to the results, there was no significant change in the body mass index. The vital signs in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than the corresponding admission values. Regarding renal function tests such as urea and creatinine, we found that after treatment, the mean urea and creatinine values in the cannabis user group did not differ significantly from the corresponding admission values. However, after treatment, the mean values of fasting blood glucose levels in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than at admission. Also, the mean values of liver function tests such as albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than the corresponding admission values after treatment. In assessing the antioxidant system, we found that the mean values of TBARS, SOD, GSH, and CAT in the cannabis user group did not differ significantly from the corresponding admission values after treatment. The current findings have revealed that cannabis addiction harms the various body systems and has significant implications for the addict's state of health. The values of oxidative stress biomarkers did not change in this study, but other measured parameters improved after treatment.

Frequency of depression and correlates among Chinese children and adolescents living in poor areas under the background of targeted poverty alleviation: results of a survey in Weining county

BackgroundThere is a lack of epidemiological data on depressive morbidity in children and adolescents in rural China. This study determines the frequency and correlates of depression among children and adolescents to offer useful insights for family education and government policy-making in rural China.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted between April 20 to May 10, 2022. Depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the correlative factors of depression were analyzed.ResultsIn this study, 23,180 children and adolescents were enrolled (median (range) age: 12 (9–18) years); of them, 8,261 (35.6%) suffered from depression with a CES-D score of > 15. The onset of depression was significantly related to age, grade, gender, parental absence, attending key schools or classes, presence of moderate or severe internet addiction (IA), school record, social relationships, parental occupation, and education status. Furthermore, female gender (OR = 1.175; 95% CI: 1.108–1.247; p < 0.001), junior middle school (OR = 1.487; 95% CI: 1.380–1.601; p < 0.001), parental absence (OR = 1.272; 95% CI: 1.183–1.367; p < 0.001), attending key schools (OR = 1.221; 95% CI: 1.120–1.332; p < 0.001), attending key classes (OR = 1.099; 95% CI: 1.001–1.207; p = 0.048), and presence of moderate or above IA (OR = 13.593; 95% CI: 12.028–15.361; p < 0.001) were the most prominent independent factors for depression.ConclusionDepression is very common among Chinese children and adolescents living in poor areas of Weining County. Older age, higher school grade, female gender, parental absence, attending key schools or classes, and the presence of moderate to severe IA are some important factors that may dictate the occurrence of depression in these children and adolescents.

Severity identification for internet gaming disorder using heart rate variability reactivity for gaming cues: a deep learning approach.

The diminished executive control along with cue-reactivity has been suggested to play an important role in addiction. Hear rate variability (HRV), which is related to the autonomic nervous system, is a useful biomarker that can reflect cognitive-emotional responses to stimuli. In this study, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) subjects' autonomic response to gaming-related cues was evaluated by measuring HRV changes in exposure to gaming situation. We investigated whether this HRV reactivity can significantly classify the categorical classification according to the severity of IGD. The present study included 70 subjects and classified them into 4 classes (normal, mild, moderate and severe) according to their IGD severity. We measured HRV for 5 min after the start of their preferred Internet game to reflect the autonomic response upon exposure to gaming. The neural parameters of deep learning model were trained using time-frequency parameters of HRV. Using the Class Activation Mapping (CAM) algorithm, we analyzed whether the deep learning model could predict the severity classification of IGD and which areas of the time-frequency series were mainly involved. The trained deep learning model showed an accuracy of 95.10% and F-1 scores of 0.995 (normal), 0.994 (mild), 0.995 (moderate), and 0.999 (severe) for the four classes of IGD severity classification. As a result of checking the input of the deep learning model using the CAM algorithm, the high frequency (HF)-HRV was related to the severity classification of IGD. In the case of severe IGD, low frequency (LF)-HRV as well as HF-HRV were identified as regions of interest in the deep learning model. In a deep learning model using the time-frequency HRV data, a significant predictor of IGD severity classification was parasympathetic tone reactivity when exposed to gaming situations. The reactivity of the sympathetic tone for the gaming situation could predict only the severe group of IGD. This study suggests that the autonomic response to the game-related cues can reflect the addiction status to the game.