Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34491902›Full record

SynthesisJournal of behavioral addictions2021

Internet addiction in Gulf countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abdullah Murhaf Al-Khani, Juliann Saquib, Ahmad Mamoun Rajab, Mohamed Abdelghafour Khalifa, Abdulrahman Almazrou, Nazmus Saquib

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of behavioral addictions, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
30citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

30 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  20. The Perception and Roles of School Mental Health Professionals Regarding School Bullying (International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Abdullah Murhaf Al-KhaniCollege of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, P.O. Box 777, Bukairyah 51941, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-2021-4009
Juliann SaquibCollege of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, P.O. Box 777, Bukairyah 51941, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-2572-0592
Ahmad Mamoun RajabCollege of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, P.O. Box 777, Bukairyah 51941, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-5862-7445
Mohamed Abdelghafour KhalifaCollege of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, P.O. Box 777, Bukairyah 51941, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-6709-4019
Abdulrahman AlmazrouCollege of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, P.O. Box 777, Bukairyah 51941, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-9504-5209
Nazmus SaquibCollege of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, P.O. Box 777, Bukairyah 51941, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-2819-2839

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsThe prevalence of internet addiction (IA) varies widely in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (4%-82.6%). We aimed to assess the quality of IA studies from the GCC and pool their data to get an accurate estimate of the problem of IA in the region.

methodsA systematic review of available studies was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials were systematically searched; studies conducted in GCC countries (i.e., Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) with a validated instrument for internet addiction assessment were eligible. Ten studies were eligible for the systematic review, all of which were included in the meta-analysis. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment.

resultsNine out of ten of the included studies had either adolescent and/or young adult participants (age < 25). Two studies were of 'good' quality, six were of 'satisfactory' quality, and two were of 'unsatisfactory' quality. The pooled internet addiction prevalence was 33%; it was significantly higher among females than males (male = 24%, female = 48%, P = 0.05) and has significantly increased over time (P < 0.05). DISCUSSION AND

conclusionsOne in every three individuals in GCC countries was deemed to be addicted to the internet, according to Young's Internet Addiction Test. A root cause analysis focusing on family structure, environment, and religious practices is needed to identify modifiable risk factors.

Indexed as

Internet Addiction DisorderAdolescentFemaleHumansKuwaitMaleOmanSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesYoung AdultGulf Cooperation Councilinternet addictionprevalence

Identifiers

PMID34491902
PMCPMC8997198

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.