The impact of problematic internet behaviours on youth with mental health problems presenting to hospital emergency departments
AI Summary
Problematic internet behaviours accounted for 21.1% of youth mental health emergency department presentations.
Higher likelihood of PIB-related ED visits among females, culturally and linguistically diverse young people, and those without prior trauma history.
Online aggression, sending harmful content, deleting social media accounts, and accessing unhealthy weight loss information predicted PIB-related ED presentations.
Australas Psychiatry. 2026 May 12:10398562261447767. doi: 10.1177/10398562261447767. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveThis study explores prevalence and risk factors of problematic internet behaviours (PIBs) among youth who attended an emergency department (ED) for mental health (MH) concerns.MethodThis is a retrospective cross-sectional study of 237 patients aged 12-25 years who attended ED. Using a modified emergency department media use screener (mEDMUS) questionnaire and ED data, this study examined the association of socio-demographic and clinical predictors with PIB by applying bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsED presentation was related to PIB in 21.1% of participants. Female participants, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and individuals without a history of trauma were more likely to present with PIB. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that four internet-related behaviours (expressing aggression online, sending harmful content to others, deleting one’s social media account, or accessing unhealthy ways of weight loss) were predictive of visits to the ED for MH concerns associated with online behaviours.ConclusionsThe findings of this study will help clinical services and policy makers gain a better understanding of young people’s PIB in relation to their psychiatric symptoms. Future intervention studies should aim to broaden data collection techniques with long-term follow-ups, to explore how these online risk factors influence their everyday lives.
Haemophilia. 2026 May 13. doi: 10.1111/hae.70282. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: Women with haemophilia can present manifestations and experience undiagnosed symptoms, which negatively affect their health-related...
Ann ICRP. 2026 May 13:1466453251412502. doi: 10.1177/01466453251412502. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe lower the dose, the 'safer' you are… but is that really the case in...
Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2026 May 6;19:593459. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S593459. eCollection 2026.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: The onset and remission of probable depression may be influenced by shared modifiable factors;...
Indian J Community Med. 2026 Mar-Apr;51(2):405-409. doi: 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_99_23. Epub 2026 Feb 20.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Effective integration of perinatal mental health care into primary care settings faces several...
Indian J Community Med. 2026 Mar-Apr;51(2):261-265. doi: 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_394_23. Epub 2026 Feb 20.ABSTRACTCONTEXT: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to intensive and frequently occurring sources of stress...
Indian J Community Med. 2026 Mar-Apr;51(2):279-285. doi: 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_442_24. Epub 2025 Nov 20.ABSTRACTCONTEXT: Population aging is causing the rise in physical and mental illnesses, leading to...
