Heavy internet use and its associations with health risk and health-promoting behaviours among Thai university students
SOURCE: International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2014
TITLE AUTHOR(S): K.Peltzer, S.Pengpid, T.Apidechkul
KEYWORDS: HEALTH, INTERNET, RISK BEHAVIOUR, STUDENTS (COLLEGE), THAILAND
DEPARTMENT: Public Health, Societies and Belonging (HSC)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 8115
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/2541
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/2541
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2014
TITLE AUTHOR(S): K.Peltzer, S.Pengpid, T.Apidechkul
KEYWORDS: HEALTH, INTERNET, RISK BEHAVIOUR, STUDENTS (COLLEGE), THAILAND
DEPARTMENT: Public Health, Societies and Belonging (HSC)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 8115
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/2541
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/2541
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
The Internet provides significant benefits for learning about the world, but excessive Internet use can lead to negative outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between heavy Internet use and health-promoting behaviour, health risk behaviour and health outcomes among university students. The sample included 860 undergraduate university students chosen at random from Mae Fah Luang University in Thailand. Of the participants, 27.3% were male and and 72.7% were female in the age range of 18-25 years (M age = 20.1 years, SD = 1.3). Overall, students spent on average 5.3 h (SD = 2.6) per day on the internet, and 35.3% engaged in heavy internet use (6 or more hours per day). In multivariate logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographics, lack of dental check-ups, three health risk behaviours (sedentary lifestyle, illicit drug use and gambling) and three health outcomes [being underweight, overweight or obese and having screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)] were found to be associated with heavy Internet use. The results from this study may support the importance of developing early protective and preventive actions against problematic internet use to promote university student health.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Prevalence of overweight and underweight and its associated factors among male and female university students in Thailand
- Subjective happiness and health behavior among a sample of university students in India
- Prevalence of health risk behaviors and their associated factors among university students in Kyrgyzstan
- Prevalence of health behaviors and their associated factors among a sample of university students in India
- Risk of eating disorders among university students in Bangladesh
- Sun protection use behaviour among university students from 25 low, middle income and emerging economy countries
- Health behaviour and self-reported academic performance among university students: an international study
- Multiple health risk behaviours and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among university students from 22 countries
- Sitting time and its associated factors in university students from 18 low, middle and emerging economy countries
- Factors associated with unintentional injury among university students in 26 countries
- Correlates of healthy fruit and vegetable diet in students in low, middle and high income countries
- Physical inactivity and associated factors among university students in 23 low-, middle- and high-income countries
- Comparison of health risk behavior, awareness, and health benefit beliefs of health science and non-health science students: an international study
- Heavy drinking and social and health factors in university students from 24 low, middle income and emerging economy countries
- Gender differences in health risk behaviour among university students: an international study
- Mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and STIs/HIV infection among university students from 22 low, middle and high income countries
- Risky HIV sexual behaviour and depression among University of Nairobi students
- Depressive symptoms and social demographic, stress and health risk behaviour among university students in 26 low-, middle- and high income countries
- Dietary health behaviour and beliefs among university students from 26 low, middle and high income countries
- Drinking and driving among university students in 22 low, middle income and emerging economy countries