Internet Addiction and its Associated Factors Among Undergraduate Students of Institute of Medicine, Nepal

Internet use has increased rapidly around the world, along with reports of overuse among internet users. This can affect not just the psychosocial well-being but also the physical health of the young population, who are its major victims. However, very limited studies have been conducted on internet addiction among the young population in Nepal. This study aims to find the prevalence of internet addiction and its associated factors among undergraduate students of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Nepal. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 211 undergraduate students of IOM. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic, academic, and internet-use-related information. Internet addiction was assessed using Young’s Internet Addiction Test. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for univariate analysis, while bivariate analysis was performed to assess the association between the dependent and independent variables. One in two students had internet addiction, with 36.5% having mild addiction, 12.3% having moderate addiction, and 1.4% having severe addiction. The mean age (±SD) of the students was 21.6 ± 2.0 years. The variable found to be associated with internet addiction was the duration of internet use per day. Students who used the internet for more than five hours per day were about 2.3 times more likely to have internet addiction than those who used the internet for five hours or less (OR = 2.399, 95% CI: 1.334–4.314). Internet addiction is a significant concern among undergraduate students and may increase if not appropriately addressed. Excessive and problematic internet use may contribute to mental health problems such as difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and compulsive behaviors, particularly among young people who are frequent users of the internet.