Prevalence and associated factors of Internet addiction among undergraduate students at Al-Beheira Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors associated with Internet addiction (IA) among undergraduate students. Methods: In total, 608 undergraduate students aged 18–24 years were randomly included in a population-based cross-sectional study conducted during June–August 2018. Results: The prevalence rate of IA was (47.5%) with moderate and severe IA (35.5% and 12.0%, respectively). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, sociodemographic variables (age, gender, and residence) Internet use pattern factors (Internet use for entertainment, games, and communication purposes, spending more than 4 h per day using the Internet, Internet access at home, and smartphone use), lifestyle variables (lack of physical activity and sleeping less than 6 h daily) were found to be independently associated with Internet addiction. Conclusions: According to the results of this the study around 50% of undergraduate students are at risk for developing addiction to the Internet. Internet addiction was found to be associated with lifestyle and behavior factors.