Md Saiful Islam1,2, Md Safaet Hossain Sujan1,2, Rafia Tasnim1,2, Most Zannatul Ferdous1,3, Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan Masud3,4, Sourav Kundu3,5, Abu Syed Md Mosaddek3,6, M Shahabuddin K Choudhuri3,7,8, Kagan Kircaburun9, Mark D Griffiths9. 1. Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh. 2. Youth Research Association, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh. 3. Quest Bangladesh, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh. 4. Public Health Informatics Foundation (PHIF), Mirpur, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh. 5. Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology, Shinagawa City, Tokyo 140-0011, Japan. 6. Department of Pharmacology, Uttara Adhunik Medical College, Uttara, Dhaka 1230, Bangladesh. 7. Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh. 8. United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) Herbal Medicines Compendium South Asia Expert Panel Member, Hyderabad, India. 9. International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although internet use can boost individuals' quality of life in various aspects, activities on the internet (e.g., gambling, video gaming, social media use, pornography use, etc.) can be used as coping strategy to deal with psychological stressors and mood states (e.g., fear, anxiety, depression) particularly during the global COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed problematic internet use (PIU) among Bangladeshi youth and adults in Bangladesh and examined its correlation with lifestyle and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was utilized between May and June 2020 comprising 13,525 Bangladeshi individuals (61.3% male; age range 18-50 years; mean age 23.7 years) recruited from various online platforms. The self-report survey included questions concerning socio-demographics, lifestyle, and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as psychometric scales such as the nine-item Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF). RESULTS: Utilizing hierarchical regression analysis, problematic internet use was significantly and positively associated with those who were younger, having a higher level of education, living with a nuclear family, engaging in less physical exercise, avoiding household chores, playing online videogames, social media use, and engaging in recreational online activities. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive internet use appears to have been commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic period and young adults were most vulnerable to problematic internet use.
BACKGROUND: Although internet use can boost individuals' quality of life in various aspects, activities on the internet (e.g., gambling, video gaming, social media use, pornography use, etc.) can be used as coping strategy to deal with psychological stressors and mood states (e.g., fear, anxiety, depression) particularly during the global COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed problematic internet use (PIU) among Bangladeshi youth and adults in Bangladesh and examined its correlation with lifestyle and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was utilized between May and June 2020 comprising 13,525 Bangladeshi individuals (61.3% male; age range 18-50 years; mean age 23.7 years) recruited from various online platforms. The self-report survey included questions concerning socio-demographics, lifestyle, and online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as psychometric scales such as the nine-item Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF). RESULTS: Utilizing hierarchical regression analysis, problematic internet use was significantly and positively associated with those who were younger, having a higher level of education, living with a nuclear family, engaging in less physical exercise, avoiding household chores, playing online videogames, social media use, and engaging in recreational online activities. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive internet use appears to have been commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic period and young adults were most vulnerable to problematic internet use.
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