A comparative study of internet addiction among medical and engineering students

• Main Authors: Garapati VA, Mopidevi V, Nukala S, Vinnakota A, Singisetti S, Chilukuri S, Sanapala V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: KIMS Foundation and Research Center 2020-04-01
• Series: Journal of Medical and Scientific Research
• Subjects: medical students; engineering students; internet addiction test
• Online Access: http://jmsronline.com/article.aspx?ID=A-comparative-study-internet-addiction-among-medical-engineering-students
• ISSN: 2321-1326; 2394-112X

Background: Internet is a tool that is evolving into an essential part of everyday life all over the world and its use is high among young people, not only in India but also worldwide in the last decade. Medical and engineering students in particular are the vulnerable group, considering that technology is incorporated into their education and they often have easy access to the internet at their respective campus. Aim: To compare severity of internet addiction among medical and engineering students. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among first year to final year M.B.B.S & engineering students. The students were recruited from a medical college and an engineering college in coastal Andhra Pradesh during 1st October 2016 to 31st March 2017. 100 medical students and 100 engineering students were selected for the study, after obtaining informed consent the subjects were subjected to a semi structured proforma wherein their demographic profiles were recorded and the main study tool Internet Addiction Test was used on the subjects. Results: Out of a sample of 200 undergraduate students, 52% were mildly addicted, 79(39.5%) were moderately addicted while 9(4.5%) were severely addicted to internet. 8% of engineering students and 1% of medical students were found to have severe internet addiction. Conclusion: Engineering students are severely addicted than medical students. Education curriculum also shows impact on severity of internet addiction.