Excessive internet use among Finnish young people between 2017 and 2021 and the effect of COVID-19.

IF 3.5 2区医学 Q1 PSYCHIATRY Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Pub Date : 2024-12-01 Epub Date: 2024-07-10 DOI:10.1007/s00127-024-02723-0

Olli Kiviruusu

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Abstract

Purpose: An increase in excessive Internet use (EIU) among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic was suggested in many studies. However, these studies were mostly based on cross-sectional and/or unrepresentative samples.

Methods: Using data from a nationwide Finnish school survey in the years 2017, 2019 and 2021 (N = 450,864; aged 13-20 years), changes in the prevalence of EIU (EIUS, 5-item) were assessed. The effects of COVID-19 (year 2021 vs. 2017/2019 combined) and linear trend were analyzed in logistic regression models. Models were adjusted for loneliness, depression, anxiety, and sociodemographic factors.

Results: Among males, EIU prevalence varied minimally (7.8-8.1%) from 2017 to 2021. Among females, the prevalence increased from 6.8 to 11.7% and the effect of COVID-19 was significant (OR = 1.53; p < 0.001). Including the linear trend in the model turned the COVID-19 effect on EIU among females non-significant (p = 0.625), whereas the trend was significant (OR = 1.17; p < 0.001). Adjusting the models with mental health-related factors attenuated the effect of COVID-19 to some extent, but not the effect of linear trend.

Conclusions: There is a sex difference in the way the prevalence of EIU developed from 2017 to 2021 among Finnish adolescents. In males, there was no indication of increased prevalence of EIU and among females, while the effect of COVID-19 was first found, it was also suggested to be a product of a trend already started before the COVID-19 pandemic. These results are in contrast with some earlier studies suggesting an effect of COVID-19 on EIU.

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2017 年至 2021 年期间芬兰青少年过度使用互联网的情况以及 COVID-19 的影响。

目的：许多研究表明，在 COVID-19 大流行期间，青少年过度使用互联网（EIU）的情况有所增加。然而，这些研究大多基于横断面和/或不具代表性的样本：方法：利用 2017 年、2019 年和 2021 年芬兰全国范围内的学校调查数据（N = 450,864; 年龄 13-20 岁），评估了 EIU（EIUS，5 项）流行率的变化。在逻辑回归模型中分析了 COVID-19（2021 年与 2017/2019 年之和）和线性趋势的影响。模型根据孤独、抑郁、焦虑和社会人口学因素进行了调整：在男性中，EIU患病率从2017年到2021年变化很小（7.8%-8.1%）。在女性中，患病率从 6.8%上升至 11.7%，COVID-19 的影响显著（OR = 1.53；P 结论：在女性中，COVID-19 的影响显著：从2017年到2021年，芬兰青少年EIU患病率的发展存在性别差异。在男性中，没有迹象表明EIU患病率有所上升；在女性中，虽然COVID-19的影响首次被发现，但这也被认为是在COVID-19大流行之前就已经开始的趋势的产物。这些结果与早先一些认为 COVID-19 对 EIU 有影响的研究相反。

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来源期刊

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

8.50

自引率

2.30%

发文量

184

审稿时长

3-6 weeks

期刊介绍： Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology is intended to provide a medium for the prompt publication of scientific contributions concerned with all aspects of the epidemiology of psychiatric disorders - social, biological and genetic. In addition, the journal has a particular focus on the effects of social conditions upon behaviour and the relationship between psychiatric disorders and the social environment. Contributions may be of a clinical nature provided they relate to social issues, or they may deal with specialised investigations in the fields of social psychology, sociology, anthropology, epidemiology, health service research, health economies or public mental health. We will publish papers on cross-cultural and trans-cultural themes. We do not publish case studies or small case series. While we will publish studies of reliability and validity of new instruments of interest to our readership, we will not publish articles reporting on the performance of established instruments in translation. Both original work and review articles may be submitted.