Internet Addiction among Students: cross-sectional study

Introduction Conceptually, the internet has transformed the Earth into a vast information network village, significantly enhancing human experience through unprecedented availability and exchange of information. However, the potential adverse effects of internet addiction on human health have emerged as a major global concern. Objectives This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of internet addiction among students. Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted between October 2022 and January 2023 among students from various faculties in Sfax. Data were collected through a self-administered electronic questionnaire accessible online, created using the Google Forms application. The questionnaire explored sociodemographic and relational data. Internet addiction was assessed using the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS). Results The average age of the students was 25,62 ± 3,29 years, with a sex ratio of 1/5. Among the participants, 96% resided in urban areas, and 81,9% lived with their families. Nearly half of the students were from the Sfax Faculty of Medicine, and 64,4% were in the third cycle of their studies. The study found a mean total score of 74,27 +/- 21,25 on the IAS, indicating an estimated prevalence of internet addiction at 24,2%. Factors correlated with internet addiction included excessive internet use by family members (p=0,004) and poor adaptation to the faculty (p=0,03). Conclusions Internet addiction was prevalent in our student population. Exploring the characteristics associated with this addiction would undoubtedly assist in identifying the risks our students might face. Disclosure of Interest None Declared