The prevalence and determinants of social media usage among medical students of Nishtar Medical University, Multan

INTRODUCTION

The way individuals communicate, share information and interact has fundamentally changed because of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat and Tiktok. According to Statista's 2023 forecast, there are more than 4 billion users of social media globally and young people make up roughly 71% of all internet users.^1,2 Students use social media a lot, as seen by their daily schedules, extracurricular activities and social contacts. Numerous studies reveal that most students spend a considerable amount of time on social media.^3,4

With major ramifications for their cognitive and socio emotional development, students are depending more and more on these platforms for information, amusement and social validation.^5,6 Studies have indicated a significant correlation between the use of social networking sites and the perception of isolation among American young adults, highlighting the possible psychological consequences of overuse.⁷ Similarly, a systematic review highlighted the correlation between social networking sites and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, emphasizing the importance of comprehending the mental health implications of social media, usage among students.⁸

Individuals addicted to social media often spend excessive amounts of time on these platforms, exhibit obsessive behaviour and experience uncontrollable urges to utilize them.⁹ Globally, media platform addiction has surfaced as a significant community health concern. A recent meta-analysis assessing the prevalence across 32 countries found a pooled incidence of 24%.¹⁰ Consequently, addictive or problematic social media usage can impair users' psychosocial functioning and well-being, leading to symptoms such as depression and anxiety.^11-13

The proliferation of social media usage is evident in its rapid expansion, with the number of users in Pakistan increasing from 7.6 million in 2014 to 29.5 million in 2022.¹⁴ An exploratory study among Chinese college students identified female gender, impulsivity, anxiety, social anxiety and negative attentional biases as risk factors for social media addiction.¹⁵

The excessive utilization of social media is becoming increasingly prevalent among medical students, resulting in academic and psychological instability.¹⁶ In Pakistan, where there are approximately 25 million internet users, platforms like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are particularly popular among this demographic.¹⁷

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of social media usage among medical students. To assess the average duration of daily social media use among medical students. To identify the primary purposes for which medical students use social media (e.g., academic, entertainment, communication, etc.). To explore which social media platforms are most frequently used by medical students. To examine any associations between social media usage patterns and demographic or academic variables (e.g., year of study, gender, academic performance).

METHODS

A cross‐sectional study was conducted in a public medical university in Multan from 5 March 2024 to 25 September 2024. Undergraduate MBBS students at Nishtar Medical University who provided informed consent were included in the study. Non‐medical students were excluded.

Ethical clearance was obtained in accordance with the Human Rights Declaration, ensuring that every participant’s consent was fully informed, conscious and voluntary prior to data collection Ref.No.7089/NMU, Dated:03-06-2024). A non‐random, convenience-sampling technique was employed to recruit participants.

Inclusion criteria

All first year to final year MBBS students of NMU, Multan who gave consent were included.

Exclusion criteria

All nursing and allied health sciences students were in exclusion criteria.

Data was collected using a structured questionnaire that focused on the number of hours spent on social networking sites (SNS) and identified the most frequently used SNS platforms. Data analysis was performed with SPSS version 27, utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics along with regression, correlation, factor and cluster analyses.

RESULTS

The study surveyed 309 medical students to assess their social media usage, its prevalence and associated determinants. Their basic details are given in Table 1.

Out of the 309 respondents, 97.4% (301 students) reported using social media, while only eight students (2.6%) indicated they did not use social media. This high prevalence was consistent across all years of study, with slight variations. First-year students had the highest social media usage rate at 97.5%, while final-year students also had a 100% usage rate. (Figure 1). When asked about their regular online activities, 66.3% of students reported using social media as their primary activity.

Other significant activities included educational purposes (15.2%) and streaming videos (7.4%). A small percentage engaged in online shopping (2.6%) and gaming (1.6%). (Figure 2). The most preferred social media platforms were Instagram (67.3%), followed by Facebook (24.6%) and Snapchat (8.1%). Instagram was the dominant platform among all years of study. (Figure 3). A notable proportion of students (39.5%) spent between 2 to 4 hours daily on social media. However, 28.5% also spent more than 4 hours per day. Only 3.7% of students reported using social media for less than 30 minutes daily, while 20.1% spent between 1 to 2 hours (Figure 4).

The primary determinants influencing social media usage among the students were personal interests (57.3%), followed by academic workload (18.1%). A smaller number of students cited fear of missing out (2.9%) and peer pressure (0.3%) and curiosity (12.3%) as influencing factors. The need for social interaction was also a significant determinant, with 9% of respondents selecting it as a reason for their usage (Figure 5).

Among the students, 38.5% reported actively participating in discussions or content related to medical topics on social media. There was no significant gender difference in this participation (p=0.493). Additionally, 71.8% of students indicated that they used social media to collaborate with other medical students for academic or research purposes. This was observed across all classes.

A concerning trend was the 72.5% of students who admitted to checking social media during lectures, with no significant difference across the years of study (p=0.340). Both male and female students showed a similar pattern of usage, with 97.7% of males and 96.5% of females being active on social media platforms.

In addition, by applying chi-square tests, there is no significant relation found between prevalence of social media and gender and between prevalence of social media and year of study also (Table 2). However, a significant relation is found between Year of Study of respondent and time spent per day on social media (Table 3).

The relation is also significant between Year of Study of respondent and collaboration with other medical students for academic or research purposes (Table 4). In addition, a significant relation is found between the go to device when accessing the internet of respondent and regular activities on internet (Table 5).

a. 7 cells (28.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 1.17.

a. 0 cells (.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 13.86.

a. 13 cells (72.2%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 0.01.

DISCUSSION

Social media usage is very abundant among youth. In this study conducted in Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Social media usage frequency is found 97.4%. 67% students are using it for more than 4 years. Among them, Instagram is the most commonly accessed social networking sites. 68% students are spending more than 4 hours on networking in a day. 69.4% students were found using social networking as a source of recreation.66% students are accessing social media through WiFi network. Most of them use social media for personal interest.

Social media as a source of entertainment also make it prevalent. 50% were found neglecting their daily activities due to socializing online. Our study found that 72.5% students were found checking social media during lectures. According to our study, social media usage is found high among young generation. We found that junior classes are mainly using SNS for academic purposes but that trend changed to social media as a source of entertainment in higher classes. By applying chi square test, finding was significant (p value=0.004).

Likewise Khalid et al, found that the excessive utilization of social media is becoming increasingly prevalent among medical students, resulting in academic and psychological instability with 99.5% prevalence of social media among students.¹⁶ A similar study on the Incidence of WhatsApp addiction among medical students was carried out by Rajini et al, the increasing concern surrounding social media addiction. The prevalence of WhatsApp addiction among medical students was 51%.¹⁸ Similarly, Mousavi et al, documented a high frequency of 99.4% and usage pattern of social media among Sari Iran medical students.¹⁹

There are a number of factors that have been found to influence how medical students use social media. Among the demographic characteristics linked to Internet use are age, gender and marital status. Guan and Subrahmanyum, for instance, discovered that young people are quickly engrossing themselves in online life.²⁰ Similar to this , Valant et al, found that in 2016, 97.5% young adults in US have substantial access to social media and digital technologies.²¹ In a similar way, Javadinia et al, discovered that social networks can influence students’ academic success.²² Marzo et al, Found that More than 90% of people in Austria, Georgia, Myanmar, Nigeria and the Philippines were active on social media. Most social media users were between the ages of 18 and 24.²³

However, the present study has some limitations. First off, the cross-sectional design of this study precludes any inference regarding the causal association between internet addiction and related variables. The results of this study cannot be generalized as only a sample of students from one college in Pakistan were included. Another factor which limits its generalization is study duration because prevalence may vary during their exams season.

CONCLUSION

The study shows that social media usage is almost universal among medical students, with Instagram being the most popular platform. Students spend a significant amount of time on social media daily, driven mainly by personal interests and peer pressure. Social media also serves as a key tool for academic collaboration, though its frequent use during lectures raises concerns about its impact on academic focus. While social media is vital for both social and academic purposes, there is a need to address its overuse to ensure it does not hinder students' learning.

Funding: No funding sources

Conflict of interest: None declared

Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee

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