Screening Problematic Internet Use in Parkinson’s disease: prevalence and clinical characterization
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Background
Problematic Internet use (PIU) has been scarcely investigated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of PIU symptoms in PD using a specific screening instrument and to explore the clinical characteristics of these individuals.
Methods
Two-stage observational study in a Movement Disorders clinic. In Evaluation 1, participants with PD were screened by the Brazilian Portuguese Nine-Item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire–Short Form (BR-PIUQ-SF-9). In Evaluation 2, screening-positive participants underwent an exploratory assessment of Internet use.
Results
16.7% of participants with PD were positive for the BR-PIUQ-SF-9. The median Internet use time among these positive-screened participants was 5.5 hours per day. Most of them had impulsive-compulsive behaviors, and somatic concern, anxiety, and depressive mood were common psychiatric symptoms.
Conclusions
Approximately one in six participants screened positive for PIU symptoms. Impulsive-compulsive behaviors and depressive symptoms were frequent among those undergoing subsequent exploratory assessment.
