VIRTUAL DEPENDENCE IN MEDICAL STUDENTS AT AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN VITÓRIA

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1594362410042

• Palavras-chave: Internet; medical students; internet addiction.

• Keywords: Internet; medical students; internet addiction.

• Abstract:

  Introduction: Internet addiction is a disease that has recently emerged due to the online scenario. It is defined as deterioration in control over Internet use that manifests itself in cognitive, behavioral areas and psychological symptoms. The lack of knowledge about this dependence means that many persist in this disorder, bringing to light the need to recognize and identify it among undergraduate medical students. Objective: Evaluate how often medical students at a higher education institution use the internet. Method: individual cross-sectional study, carrying out a data collection stage that took place at the Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), in the first month of the 2021/2 semester, involving students from the 1st to the 12th of medical degree. Students with active enrollment, of both sexes and who agree to sign the free and informed consent form (TCLE) were included. Students who did not sign the TCLE and those under 18 years of age were excluded, as well as incomplete questionnaires or those with filling errors. The study applied two anonymous questionnaires, one with general information and the other being an adaptation of the “Internet Addiction Test (IAT)” questionnaire. Categorical variables were analyzed using frequencies and percentages, and numerical variables using data summary measures such as mean, median and standard deviation. The association between variables was performed using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and were considered significant if p-value < 0.05. Subsequently, the results were compared between the three different cycles (basic, clinical and internship) of the Medicine degree. Results: Among the 212 respondents, the comparison of cycles in relation to the general score obtained in the Internet Addiction Test did not indicate a significant difference between them, with p >0.05. Likewise, when dividing by sex, the results did not obtain divergent values capable of generating analysis. Furthermore, no other variable studied showed disagreement and the ability to be analyzed. Although severe levels of addiction as well as the absence of internet addiction were less prevalent among participants, the majority of students who participated in the research demonstrated low and moderate levels of internet addiction, alarming data considering the damage that this addiction can cause to the process of learning, hindering medical training. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the virtual dependence of medical students at an educational institution in Greater Vitória is low but present. Therefore, due to the growth of pathologies involving addictions, even if low, on the internet, it is important to pay attention to the teaching staff and other employees, in order to mitigate these effects of addiction on students and medical training.