Cyberaddiction in the medical setting: A study of 45 cases

Abstract

Introduction Internet use can become uncontrollable, leading to physical and psychological suffering and what is known as cyberaddiction. Objectives To assess the frequency of cyberaddiction in a population of young doctors. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study of a population of young doctors. We collected socio-professional and medical data using a Google Forms self-questionnaire. The Young scale was recommended for screening for cyberaddiction. A score ≥5 indicates Internet addiction. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) was adopted to reveal anxiety-depressive disorders. Results A total of 45 physicians responded to our survey. The mean age was 29.93±4.8 years. The sex ratio (M/F) was 0.3. Participants were single in 69% of cases. Residents represented 64% of the population. Physicians were family medicine residents in 11% of cases. The mean Young’s score was 3.13±1.97/8. Cyberaddiction was noted in 24% of cases. A definite anxiety-depressive disorder was found in 6.7% and 13.3% of cases respectively. Internet addiction was significantly associated with female gender (p<0.05) and a positive HAD (A) score (p=0.03). Conclusions According to the results of our study, cyberaddiction is common among medical staff. A preventive strategy is needed to counter the harmful effects of this addiction. Disclosure of Interest None Declared