Journal List > J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs > v.26(1) > 1058404

Kim: The Relationship between Internet Use and Health Behaviors among Adolescents

Abstract

Purpose

The study was performed in order to identify the relationship between health behaviors and Internet use among adolescents.

Methods

The study used raw data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey that was performed in 2012. Data of a total of 74,186 students were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 18. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and Pearson's correlation.

Results

Internet use and health behaviors were significantly related to gender, depression, suicidal intent, parents' educational level, cohabitation with parents at home, school location, and grade. There was a significant association between Internet use and health behaviors in adolescents.

Conclusion

Health promotion and education programs need to consider factors found relevant in this study.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Health Behaviors and Internet Use Characteristics (N=74,186)

jkachn-26-52-i001
Variables Characteristics Categories n (%) or M±SD
Health behaviors Smoking Yes 8,362 (11.3)
No 65,824 (88.7)
Drinking Yes 14,323 (19.3)
No 59,863 (80.7)
Weight control Yes 65,687 (90.9)
No 6,542 (9.1)
Regular exercise Yes 26,251 (35.4)
No 47,935 (64.6)
Eating breakfast Yes 35,734 (48.2)
No 38,452 (51.8)
Sufficient sleep Yes 22,952 (36.0)
No 40,734 (64.0)
Internet use Time (minute) Weekday 149.0±122.64
Weekend 209.7±142.37
Service Learning 10,787 (14.5)
Information retrieval 9,025 (12.2)
Messenger/chatting 6,989 (9.4)
Game 23,451 (31.6)
Movie download 3,052 (4.1)
MP3/Music download 7,057 (9.5)
Animation/Story download 4,268 (5.8)
UCC 673 (0.9)
Association/community 2,775 (3.7)
E-mail 159 (0.2)
On-line shopping 2,054 (2.8)
Pornography retrieval 531 (0.7)
Blog/mini homepage 3,216 (4.3)
Others 152 (0.2)
Table 2

Health Behaviors and Internet Use by General Characteristics (N=74,186)

jkachn-26-52-i002
Variables Categories n (%) Internet use time (minute) Health Practice Index
Weekday Weekend
M±SD t (p) M±SD t (p) M±SD t (p)
Gender Male 38,221 (51.5) 154.7±128.89 6.88 (<.001) 223.5±146.25 22.08 (<.001) 4.1±1.72 9.22 (<.001)
Female 35,965 (48.5) 142.1±120.98 180.1±135.51 3.9±1.68
Depression Yes 22,745 (30.7) 163.0±141.20 -9.54 (<.001) 222.1±159.10 -9.54 (<.001) 3.5±1.82 39.17 (<.001)
No 51,441 (69.3) 144.4±118.79 202.0±137.14 4.3±1.59
Suicidal intent Yes 13,635 (18.4) 169.6±154.38 -10.31 (<.001) 228.2±168.90 -9.76 (<.001) 3.3±1.82 36.25 (<.001)
No 60,551 (81.6) 145.6±118.69 203.5±137.89 4.2±1.63
Father's education (year) ≤12 32,212 (45.3) 144.3±121.47 -3.69 (<.001) 196.0±133,52 -9.51 (<.001) 4.3±1.59 10.17 (<.001)
>12 38,915 (54.7) 150.8±122.36 214.2±146.26 3.9±1.75
Mother's education (year) ≤12 25,507 (35.8) 144.4±123.15 -3.01 (.003) 194.9±134.23 -8.42 (<.001) 4.4±1.55 22.94 (<.001)
>12 45,792 (64.2) 149.9±121.36 211.6±143.43 3.9±1.74
Cohabitant Both-parent 60,490 (87.7) 144.8±119.29 -7.31 (<.001) 201.4±136.96 -10.74 (<.001) 4.2±1.64 20.56 (<.001)
Single-parent or none-parent 8,500 (12.3) 164.6±133.71 233.2±155.93 3.6±1.81
City scale Big 33,568 (45.2) 149.1±124.46 -0.69 (.492) 202.6±139.03 -4.80 (<.001) 4.1±1.68 4.61 (<.001)
Middle or small 40,618 (54.8) 150.4±127.36 211.8±147.68 4.0±1.72
School grade Middle school 37,297 (50.3) 147.7±121.96 -3.00 (.003) 196.0±136.42 -14.89 (<.001) 4.8±1.28 79.98 (<.001)
High school or vocational high school 36,889 (49.7) 153.1±131.08 225.0±152.83 3.0±1.72
Table 3

Internet Use Time by Health Behaviors (N=74,186)

jkachn-26-52-i003
Variables Categories Internet use time (minute)
Weekday Weekend
M±SD t p M±SD t p
Smoking Yes 174.1±156.89 12.54 <.001 241.4±175.27 15.57 <.001
No 144.7±117.95 201.2±136.09
Drinking Yes 169.1±147.80 12.63 <.001 233.9±167.90 15.51 <.001
No 143.3±117.08 199.4±134.42
Weight control Yes 145.4±118.43 7.18 <.001 200.5±136.23 15.21 <.001
No 166.2±139.65 248.1±161.29
Regular exercise Yes 147.8±124.04 2.38 .017 203.0±136.60 5.31 <.001
No 152.1±128.22 213.2±151.94
Eating breakfast Yes 141.5±119.80 12.06 <.001 196.2±134.92 16.10 <.001
No 163.7±134.75 228.1±156.61
Sufficient sleep Yes 139.8±108.25 8.50 <.001 191.9±127.18 14.85 <.001
No 154.9±129.80 220.9±149.90
Table 4

Correlation of Health Practice Index and Internet Use Time

jkachn-26-52-i004
Variables Categories HPI Internet use time
Weekday Weekend
HPI 1
Internet use time Weekday -.11* 1
Weekend -.15* .61* 1

*P<.01 by Pearson Correlation; HPI=Health practice index.

Notes

This study was supported by Kunsan National University fond in 2012.

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