ABSTRACT
Introduction: The use of the internet has become an integral part of everyday life in these modern times of digitalization, especially the lives of adolescents. At the same time, excessive use of the internet has emerged as a significant affliction. However, the impact of Internet addiction has not been well studied in India on these crucial years of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of internet addiction and its association with depression, anxiety and stress among medical students during the COVID -19 pandemic. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of Saveetha Medical College, Chennai during the covid-19 pandemic. A pretested, predesigned questionnaire, Young's Internet Addiction Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21) are used in the study. Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test were used to assess the association between internet addiction and depression, anxiety and stress. Result(s): A very high prevalence (72.04%) of internet addiction was observed among the respondents. The primary purposes of using the internet were entertainment (21.30%) and social media (20.80%) followed by academics (18.07%), and a majority (40.13%) reported spending 3-5 hours a day followed by more than 5 hours a day (38.49%). There was a significant association between Internet addiction and depression (odds ratio =8), anxiety (odds ratio=8) and stress (odds ratio=7). Conclusion(s): Internet addiction is a serious issue with huge impacts on mental health. Early intervention therefore is crucial. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.