Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: Studies have revealed that people with asthma have a higher risk of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between internet addiction and anxiety has long been known, but to our knowledge, no studies have combined anxiety in asthmatic children and adolescents with interne...

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Main Authors: Pınar Gökmirza Özdemir, Velat Çelik, Burçin Beken, Özge Türkyılmaz Uçar, Sibel Kaplan, Mehtap Yazıcıoğlu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Aydın Pediatric Society 2023-06-01
Series:Trends in Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://trendspediatrics.com/article/view/85
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author Pınar Gökmirza Özdemir
Velat Çelik
Burçin Beken
Özge Türkyılmaz Uçar
Sibel Kaplan
Mehtap Yazıcıoğlu
author_facet Pınar Gökmirza Özdemir
Velat Çelik
Burçin Beken
Özge Türkyılmaz Uçar
Sibel Kaplan
Mehtap Yazıcıoğlu
author_sort Pınar Gökmirza Özdemir
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Studies have revealed that people with asthma have a higher risk of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between internet addiction and anxiety has long been known, but to our knowledge, no studies have combined anxiety in asthmatic children and adolescents with internet use. This study investigated the relationship between anxiety levels and internet use in asthmatic children and adolescents during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A multicenter survey was conducted in February-March 2021, enrolling 78 asthmatic patients and 44 healthy controls. Anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C) for children aged 9-12 and with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for adolescents aged 13-18. Internet use was assessed with the Internet Addiction Scale for Adolescents (IASA). Results: Anxiety scores did not differ between patients and controls. The average time spent on the internet increased markedly (over three-fold) during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period (from 2.1±1.5 [0-6] hours per day to 6.9±3.5 [0-18] hours per day (p<0.001 in all participants). There was no difference in the IASA scores between the patients and controls. There was a correlation between the IASA and STAI state and trait (STAI [S] and STAI [T]) scores in the 13-18 year group (r=0.28, p=0.03, and r=0.34 p=0.01, respectively). Conclusion: Problematic internet use has more impact on anxiety in adolescents than asthma during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest that internet addiction should be kept in mind when evaluating anxiety in asthmatic adolescents during their follow-up.
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publishDate 2023-06-01
publisher Aydın Pediatric Society
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series Trends in Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-45cdb0cea2ac4d12a4d959541675fc7a2025-08-20T03:12:24ZengAydın Pediatric SocietyTrends in Pediatrics2792-04292023-06-014210.59213/TP.2023.63383Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemicPınar Gökmirza Özdemir0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8155-4210Velat Çelik1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8893-9420Burçin Beken2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7677-7690Özge Türkyılmaz Uçar3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1017-2052Sibel Kaplan4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0214-0392Mehtap Yazıcıoğlu5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9197-1344Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Edirne, TürkiyeNecip Fazıl City Hospital, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Kahramanmaraş, TürkiyeKanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, İstanbul, TürkiyeTrakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Edirne, TürkiyeTrakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Edirne, TürkiyeTrakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Edirne, Türkiye Objective: Studies have revealed that people with asthma have a higher risk of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between internet addiction and anxiety has long been known, but to our knowledge, no studies have combined anxiety in asthmatic children and adolescents with internet use. This study investigated the relationship between anxiety levels and internet use in asthmatic children and adolescents during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A multicenter survey was conducted in February-March 2021, enrolling 78 asthmatic patients and 44 healthy controls. Anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C) for children aged 9-12 and with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for adolescents aged 13-18. Internet use was assessed with the Internet Addiction Scale for Adolescents (IASA). Results: Anxiety scores did not differ between patients and controls. The average time spent on the internet increased markedly (over three-fold) during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period (from 2.1±1.5 [0-6] hours per day to 6.9±3.5 [0-18] hours per day (p<0.001 in all participants). There was no difference in the IASA scores between the patients and controls. There was a correlation between the IASA and STAI state and trait (STAI [S] and STAI [T]) scores in the 13-18 year group (r=0.28, p=0.03, and r=0.34 p=0.01, respectively). Conclusion: Problematic internet use has more impact on anxiety in adolescents than asthma during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest that internet addiction should be kept in mind when evaluating anxiety in asthmatic adolescents during their follow-up. https://trendspediatrics.com/article/view/85AnxietyasthmachildrenCOVID-19 pandemicinternet addiction
spellingShingle Pınar Gökmirza Özdemir
Velat Çelik
Burçin Beken
Özge Türkyılmaz Uçar
Sibel Kaplan
Mehtap Yazıcıoğlu
Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Trends in Pediatrics
Anxiety
asthma
children
COVID-19 pandemic
internet addiction
title Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_fullStr Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_short Internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_sort internet addiction and anxiety in asthmatic children after the first year of the covid 19 pandemic
topic Anxiety
asthma
children
COVID-19 pandemic
internet addiction
url https://trendspediatrics.com/article/view/85
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AT burcinbeken internetaddictionandanxietyinasthmaticchildrenafterthefirstyearofthecovid19pandemic
AT ozgeturkyılmazucar internetaddictionandanxietyinasthmaticchildrenafterthefirstyearofthecovid19pandemic
AT sibelkaplan internetaddictionandanxietyinasthmaticchildrenafterthefirstyearofthecovid19pandemic
AT mehtapyazıcıoglu internetaddictionandanxietyinasthmaticchildrenafterthefirstyearofthecovid19pandemic