Life (Mar 2021)

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Internet Addiction among Hungarian High School Teachers

  • Gábor Tóth,
  • Krisztian Kapus,
  • David Hesszenberger,
  • Marietta Pohl,
  • Gábor Kósa,
  • Julianna Kiss,
  • Gabriella Pusch,
  • Éva Fejes,
  • Antal Tibold,
  • Gergely Feher

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/life11030194
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 3
p. 194

Abstract

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The extensive availability of internet has led to the the recognition of problematic internet use (so called internet addiction, IA) mostly involving adolescents. There is limited data about the prevalence of IA in adults. Here we present a study focusing on the prevalence and risk factors of internet addiction among high school teachers. Overall 2500 paper-based questionnaires were successfully delivered and 1817 responses received (response rate of 72.7%). In our study 1194 females (65.7%) and 623 males (34.3%) participated. In a multivariate analysis including of all factors (demographic data, internet habits, comorbidity etc.) age p p = 0.002), surfing on the internet > 5 h daily (OR 2.568, CI: 2.03–3.39, p p = 0.0248), and having secondary employment (OR = 11.377, CI: 8.67–13.07, p = 0.001) were significantly associated with internet addiction. This is the first study from Hungary showing the prevalence and risk factors of internet addiction among high school teachers. A small, but significant proportion suffered from IA. Our study also draws attention to the risk factors of IA such as younger age, family status and working type.

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