Internet gaming disorder: a public health concern

ABSTRACT

Background: Internet gaming disorder is the public health concern globally due to its detrimental effects on the youth to an extreme of provoking them to suicide. As we lack studies in India highlighting this issue we have taken up a study to assess internet gaming disorder among medical graduates and validate the Internet gaming disorder-20 (IGD-20) scale. Methods: A cross-sectional study done on 200 first and second year medical students of Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool during February and March, 2019 using self-administered questionnaire containing IGD-20 which satisfies Griffith’s biopsychosocial component model and questions to assess socio behaviour changes. Data entered and analysed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive analysis, reliability tests, correlation and other appropriate significant tests used. Results: Prevalence of internet gaming disorder was 10%, more in male and who spend more than 30 hours per week on gaming which was statistically significant. Internal consistency of the IGD-20 was 0.91 Cronbach’s alpha. Socio-behavioural changes like aggressiveness, irritability and change in food patterns were significantly associated with excessive disordered gaming habit. Conclusions: Advanced technology as electronic gadgets, easily accessible networks are attracting the generation and making them addicted to it. Stress of the competitive world, loneliness is triggering this behaviour. Timely detection and management of the disordered gamers, scrutiny of parents on the internet gaming usage pattern of their kids, self-realisation and motivation towards physical games could help the youth to succumb the internet gaming disorder.