Prevalence and Associated Factors of Internet Addiction among Undergraduate Students of Faith-based Colleges in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Internet use is integral to undergraduate education, but evidence on problematic use among students in faith-based health-training colleges in Nigeria is limited. Aims: To determine the prevalence of internet addiction and to examine associated socio-demographic and smartphone-use-related factors among undergraduate students at Seventh-Day Adventist colleges in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Study Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The SDA College of Nursing and the College of Health Technology, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, between December 2025 and August 2026. Methodology: Using a stratified sampling technique with proportionate allocation, the study recruited 365 undergraduate students (230 from the College of Nursing and 135 from the College of Health Technology). Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire comprising socio-demographic items, Young's 20-item Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and a 12-item, self-developed Perceived Effect of Smartphone Use Scale. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 23; associations between internet addiction and selected characteristics were tested using the Pearson chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression, with statistical significance set at P < .05. Results: Most respondents were female (82.7%) and single (89.3%), while 48.5% were aged 20–24 years. Internet addiction was identified in 62.5% of respondents (mild, 40.5%; moderate, 21.1%; severe, 0.8%). Marital status (P = .01), daily hours of non-academic internet use (P = .02), and perceived effect of smartphone use (P = .02) were significantly associated with internet addiction; age, gender, course of study, year of study, college, place of residence, and campus residency showed no statistically significant association. Conclusion: Internet addiction was prevalent among undergraduate health science students in this setting, with more than three in five respondents classified as addicted. Being single, spending more daily hours online, and reporting a more negative perceived effect of smartphone use on academic performance were independently associated with internet addiction, indicating a potential need for targeted digital-literacy and self-regulation interventions within health training institutions.