title: Prevalence, correlates, psychiatric comorbidities, and suicidality in a community population with problematic Internet use.
abstract: We examined the prevalence, correlates, and psychiatric comorbidities of community-dwelling subjects with problematic Internet use (PIU). In an epidemiological survey of mental disorders among Korean adults conducted in 2006, 6510 subjects (aged 18-64 years) completed the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV psychiatric disorders; Diagnostic Interview Schedule exploring pathological gambling; Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-Version 1.1 Screener; questionnaire for sleep disturbances; and questionnaire for suicidal ideations, plans, and attempts. Young's Internet Addiction Test was administered to 3212 individuals who had used the Internet within one month before the interviews in order to identify problematic Internet users (cutoff >39). The prevalence of PIU was 9.3% in the general population of South Korea. Being male, younger, never married, or unemployed were all associated with increased risks of PIU. Significant positive associations were observed between PIU and nicotine use disorders, alcohol use disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, pathological gambling, adult type ADHD symptoms, sleep disturbances, suicide ideas and suicide plans compare to subjects without PIU, after controlling for socio-demographic variables. These findings suggest that careful evaluation and management of such psychiatric disorders is needed for individuals with PIU.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors: Byung-Soo
authors: BS
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: psyjang@hanmail.net.
authors: Sung Man
authors: SM
authors: Chang
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jee Eun
authors: JE
authors: Park
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Su Jeong
authors: SJ
authors: Seong
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors: Seung Hee
authors: SH
authors: Won
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Maeng Je
authors: MJ
authors: Cho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D057566:Self Report; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Addictive behavior; Comorbidity; Epidemiology; Internet