DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i05.004

Pages: 1690-1696

Internet has become an integral part of our life and internet usage has affected many spheres of our life. Its rapid use for education, research and information along with entertainment, gaming and social networking has become a major concern among students. Considering the potential effects of internet addiction, this study aims to understand the prevalence and pattern of internet addiction among medical students using Internet Addiction Test in a rural medical college of Telangana. Aims: To study the pattern of internet use, internet addiction and their associated factors in medical students. Setting and design: This is a cross-sectional study done in a rural medical college of Telangana state. The sample size consisted of 445 medical students’. Materials and methods: The socio-demographic data and details about the pattern of internet use by students were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The tendency of addiction to internet was assessed using Young’s Internet Addiction Scale (IAT). Results: In the study sample of 445 medical students, 48.3% (n= 215) were average users of internet, 34.4 % (n= 153) students problematic users or over users of internet, 17.3% (n=77) students were marked as severely problematic or internet addicts. The problematic internet users showed a significant association (p<0.05) with duration and hours of internet use per day and on weekends of accessing internet. This problematic use was also significantly associated with (p<0.05) academic decline, sleep disturbances, mood fluctuations, anxiety disturbances, and a preference for friendships on the internet. Conclusion: People of small villages and towns of India are not far behind cities in the over-usage and addiction to the internet. In recent years, we are witnessing a major switch over from books to the internet as the source in the quest of knowledge among medical professionals and students. While it is fortunate that internet has become such an easily available modality