Date of Award

12-2023

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Epidemiology & Biostatistics

First Advisor

Dr. Shafquat Rozi

Second Advisor

Dr. Momin Kazi,

Third Advisor

Dr. Nargis Asad

Department

Community Health Sciences

Abstract

Background: Problematic video game use in adolescents has given rise to 'Internet gaming disorder' (IGD), impacting their health. Games with violent content, like Multiplayer Online Battle Arena and First-Person Shooter, may influence IGD in vulnerable youth. However, knowledge of IGD among Pakistani youth and its contributing factors remains limited. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the influence of gaming habits, sociodemographic factors, and mental health on IGD for its effective prevention and treatment.
Objectives: In this study we estimated the prevalence of IGD among adolescents attending higher secondary schools in Karachi, Pakistan, and investigated its association with exposure to violent video games and related factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on a sample of 286 adolescents enrolled in both government and private higher secondary schools in Karachi, Pakistan. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. The assessment of IGD was performed using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form, while violent video game content was evaluated using game ratings provided by the International Age Rating Coalition. Statistical analysis was carried out using multiple Cox proportional algorithm. Adjusted prevalence odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare IGD with respect to violent video games and other factors and a p-value of less than and equal to 0.05 was treated as significant.
Results: Participants were predominantly males (73.78%) aged 18 (67.48%) and from middle socioeconomic backgrounds (60.49%). They preferred video games with severe violence (55.59%) and online gameplay (78.67%). 55.94% and 62.94% screened positive for anxiety and depression, respectively. The prevalence of IGD among Karachi, Pakistan's higher secondary school adolescents was 17.5% (95% CI: 13.3 – 22.4). No association was found between IGD and violent game content. However, extended gaming on weekdays, early age of gaming onset, and a nuclear family structure were positively associated with IGD, with prevalence odds ratios and 95% CIs of 5.295 (95% CI: 1.957 – 14.332) for gaming 3-4 hours on weekdays, 2.7 (95% CI: 1.035 – 7.046) for an age of gaming onset of < 7 years, and 1.982 (95% CI: 1.021 – 3.844) for a nuclear family.
Conclusion: This study underscores the notable prevalence of IGD in Karachi's adolescents, emphasizing its growing significance as a psychiatric concern for youth. These findings inform future strategies, including of school-based awareness campaigns promoting healthier gaming practices and use of family-centered interventions for effective management of IGD

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1

Last Page

139

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