Teen Wellness Centre, Shadow Clinics, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Safetynet India Epidemiology Services, New Delhi, India. Correspondence to: Mohan Kumar Raju, Senior Technical Officer, Safetynet, ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Indian Pediatr. 2024 Oct 15;61(10):973-977. Epub 2024 Sep 10.
To investigate the prevalence of problematic internet use (PIU) among adolescents and determine the associated factors contributing to PIU.
In April/May 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents studying in grades 9 to 12 in government and private non-residential schools in Western Tamil Nadu, India. Participants completed a semi-structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, behavioral patterns, and internet usage. The Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) was employed to quantify PIU.
Out of 1795 participants, 398 (24.5%) were identified with PIU. Prevalence rates of PIU were similar between adolescents studying in English (n = 189; 25.4%) and Tamil medium (n = 209; 23.7%), with no significant differences based on gender [boys (n = 270, 25.4%) and girls (n = 121, 22.2%)]. Students possessing personal gadgets showed higher PIU [n = 287 (27%) Vs. n = 111 (20%)]. Specific risk factors for PIU identified students in English medium and scoring below 80% [OR (95%CI) 1.5 (1.1, 2.3); P = 0.029 ] and those with multiple gadgets at home [1.3 (1.01, 1.7); P = 0.04].
Adolescents have a high prevalence of PIU. Implementing school-based educational programs will mitigate excessive internet usage.
调查青少年中存在的问题性互联网使用（PIU）的流行情况，并确定导致 PIU 的相关因素。
2023 年 4 月/5 月，在印度泰米尔纳德邦西部的政府和私立非寄宿学校，对 9 至 12 年级的青少年进行了横断面研究。参与者完成了一份半结构化问卷，评估人口统计学特征、行为模式和互联网使用情况。采用问题性和风险性互联网使用筛查量表（PRIUSS）来量化 PIU。
在 1795 名参与者中，有 398 名（24.5%）被确定为存在 PIU。在学习英语（n = 189；25.4%）和泰米尔语（n = 209；23.7%）的青少年中，PIU 的患病率相似，且根据性别没有显著差异[男生（n = 270，25.4%）和女生（n = 121，22.2%）]。拥有个人小工具的学生表现出更高的 PIU[ n = 287（27%）Vs. n = 111（20%）]。确定的 PIU 的特定风险因素是在英语环境中学习且成绩低于 80%的学生[OR（95%CI）1.5（1.1，2.3）；P = 0.029]和家中有多个小工具的学生[1.3（1.01，1.7）；P = 0.04]。
青少年中 PIU 的流行率很高。实施基于学校的教育计划将减轻过度使用互联网的问题。
