Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objective: The excessive and inappropriate use of the internet may lead to addiction. According to the fact that students spend many hours online to do their homework, study their lessons, and do research, their general health is in danger. This study aimed to determine the relationship between internet addiction and general health in Shahroud University of Medical Sciences in 2015.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 187 nursing students were attending in second semester of 2014-2015 in Shahroud University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through census method using three questionnaires including demographic characteristics, internet addiction test (IAT), and Goldberg general health questionnaire (GHQ). Data were analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square test.

Results: The mean and standard deviation of age of students who participated in this study was 21.63±3.25 years. Fifty two point four percent of the students were female and 89.8% were single. Also, the mean and standard deviation of the hours of using the social networks was 2.65±1.14 per day. There was a statistically significant relation between internet addiction and general health (p<0.001), normal users of internet were less exposed to the dangers of damage to general health.

Conclusion: General health was damaged in one third of the students and with regard to its relationship to internet addiction, preventing interactions seem necessary.

Key words: Addiction to internet, General health, Nursing students, Shahroud

Funding: This research was funded by Shahroud University of Medical Sciences.

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences approved the study.

How to cite this article: Abolhassani M, Mehravar F, Eftekhari N, Talebi M, Saemi M, Karimi A, Shamsizadeh M. The Relationship between Internet Addiction and General Health in Nursing Students at Shahroud University of Medical Sciences in 2015: A Short Report. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2017; 16(3): 275-82. [Farsi]