Comparison of the Prevalence of addiction internet in Brazilian University Students: Online cognition scale versus internet addiction test

Introduction: Some internet users lose the ability to control the duration and / or frequency of their use, leading to the phenomenon of internet addiction. In Brazil, there is no data about the prevalence of this phenomenon. Aim: To estimate and compare the prevalence of Internet addiction among university students in the health area. Method: A comparison of the prevalence was evaluated among undergraduate students from the health area of the University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Three instruments were applied: the Portuguese (Brazil) versions of the Internet Addiction Test, the Online Cognition Scale and a questionnaire characterizing socio-demographic and habits of use from Internet. The data were submitted to bivariate statistical tests, test of association for categorical variables and analysis of linear growth trend. Results: At the end of the study, 359 students participated in the study, 75.5% women with a mean age of 19.49 years (± 2.33 years). According to Internet Addiction Test, 44.28% of the sample had Internet Addiction, with a higher prevalence in males (51.1%). Concerning Online Cognition Scale, the prevalence of the disorder was 62.9%, higher in females (65.7%). This prevalence rates obtained were higher when compared to previous studies, which may be related to the variety of instruments. Conclusion: The prevalence of Internet Addiction in the sample studied varied according to the instrument used. There was also a significant linear trend between the weekly connection time and the severity of the addiction to the internet. Keywords: Internet; Addictive Behavior; Prevalence; Cross-Sectional Studies