The Relationship between Internet Addiction and General Health and Its Socio-Economic Factors in Internship Students of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences in 2018

Abstract

Background: The internet is a new achievement, which could be beneficial or harmful to the general health of the users. The present study aimed to investigate the association of internet addiction and the general health and influential socioeconomic factors in the internship students at Zanjan, Iran in 2018. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 137 internship students, who were selected via census sampling. Data were collected using Youngchr('39')s internet addiction and general health questionnaire. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 23 at the significance level of P < 0.05. Results: Among the students, 87 cases (63.5%) were regular internet users, and 50 cases (36.5%) were at the risk of internet addiction. A significant association was observed between internet addiction and general health (r = 0.43; P = 0.001). Internet addiction was lower in married participants than the single students (P = 0.001). However, no significant correlations were observed between age, gender, and education level, occupation status of the parents, parental income, and nativity with the risk of internet addiction. Conclusion: According to the results, internet use was correlated with general health and marital status. Moreover, less than half of the medical internship students were at the risk of internet addiction.