Use of Internet and Its Influence on Health: A Study on the Postgraduate Students of Assam University

Abstract

In recent years, the usage of the Internet has increased dramatically among young adults. As Internet use is mostly a sedentary activity, spending too much time on internet may lead to a range of health issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, postural deformity and eye problems. The present study conducted on 592 postgraduate students of Assam University Silchar aims to find out the influence of internet use on the physical health of the respondents. The objectives of the study are to find the extent of internet use among the respondents, to study the awareness of the respondents about the physical health issues associated with the use of smartphones and internet, and to explore the relationship between the extent of internet use and their self-reported physical health problems. A mixed method approach has been adopted to realize the objectives of the present study. The result indicates that most of the respondents are moderate users of internet. Also, most of the respondents are aware of the health problems associated with the use of smartphones and internet. There is a significant relationship between the extent of internet use and the frequency of occurrence of the self-reported physical health problems of the respondents.