Indian Journal of Public Health, Volume 59, Issue 2, April-June, 2015 Internet Addiction: Prevalence and Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study among College Students in Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India Sharmitha Krishnamurthy 1 , Satish Kumar Chetlapalli 2 1 Student Pursuing Masters in Public Health, 2 Professor Dean, School of Public Health, SRM University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract Background: The Internet is a widely used tool known to foster addictive behavior, and Internet addiction threatens to develop into a major public health issue in the near future in a rapidly developing country like India. Objective: This cross-sectional study intends to estimate prevalence, understand patterns, and evaluate risk factors for Internet addiction among college students in the city of Bengaluru, India. Materials and Methods: Out of a total of 554 data samples from eight colleges selected through multistage cluster sampling, 515 samples were analyzed. Young’s 20-item Internet Addiction Test (IAT), an inventory including demographic factors and patterns of internet use, was administered. Results: This study of college students aged 16-26 years (mean ± SD 19.2 ± 2.4 years), with marginally high female representation (56%), identified 34% [95% confidence interval (CI) 29.91-38.09%] and 8% (95%, CI 5.97-10.63%) as students with mild and moderate Internet addiction respectively. Binary logistic regression found Internet addiction to be associated with male gender [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.69, 95% CI, 1.081- 2.65, P = 0.021], continuous availability online (AOR 1.724, 95% CI, 1.018-2.923, P = 0.042), using the Internet less for coursework/assignments (AOR 0.415, 95% CI, 0.263-0.655, P < 0.001), making new friendships online (AOR 1.721, 95% CI, 1.785-2.849, P = 0.034), getting into relationships online (AOR 2.283, 95% CI, 1.424-3.663, P = 0.001). Conclusion: The results highlight the vulnerability of college students to Internet addiction. The findings provide explanations on the addictive behavior of the internet users, support the inclusion of “Internet Addiction” in the DSM-VI, and open up new paths for further research. Keywords: College students, Internet addiction, Internet use patterns, prevalence, risk factors, training center Background In the new generation, the Internet has become an important tool for education, entertainment, communication, and information-sharing. Easy access and social networking Corresponding Author: Dr. Sharmitha Krishnamurthy, Medical College Building, Third Floor, SRM University, Kattankulathur - 603 203, District - Kancheepuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail: sharmi_krish@yahoo.com Original Article Access this article online Access this article online Website: Website: www.ijph.in Quick Response Code: DOI: DOI: 10.4103/0019-557X.157531 PMID: PMID: *** are two of the several aspects of the Internet fostering addictive behavior. 1 In tandem with the splurge in access to the Internet globally, with the rise of new-generation gadgets, the risk of “internet addiction” is emerging as a significant behavioral addiction pandemic to be tackled worldwide. 2 The developing countries are not spared either due to extreme infiltration of technology even into the remotest corners. The population of India is around 1.2 billion as of 2012, of which the number of Internet users (both urban and rural) is around 205 million. It is estimated to increase to 243 million by June 2014, and India will be the second-leading country after China which currently has the highest Internet user base of 300 million. 3 Internet addiction commonly refers to an individual’s inability to control his or her use of the Internet (including any online-related, compulsive behavior), which [Downloaded free from http://www.ijph.in on Wednesday, July 01, 2015, IP: 115.111.224.207]