Prevalence and predictors of gaming disorder among undergraduate medical students in Enugu, Nigeria: Video game addiction in focus

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the factors and predictors of gaming disorder among medical students in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study design involving undergraduate medical students in Enugu. Addiction to video games was measured using a Video game Addiction Test. This was used to obtain information from 400 respondents. Results: Addiction to video games was recorded in 158 students (39.5%). On both bivariate analyses, gender and academic level were associated with being addicted to video games while on the multivariate analysis being male (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.95, confidence interval [CI] = 2.52–6.20) in 300 academic levels and below (AOR = 2.03, CI = 1.29–3.19) and sponsorship were predictors. Conclusion: The majority of students in this study are not addicted to video games. Being males predicted video game addiction. Since this disorder is yet to be fully explored in this setting, there is a need for health-care workers to create awareness about the effects and means to mitigate against the disorder in this setting. Further research is needed on the physical and psychological health effects of this form of addiction on the players.

Keywords

• addiction
• enugu
• gaming disorder
• undergraduate medical students
• video games