Contributing factors to extreme tendencies to internet in students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences and providing preventive strategies to deal with it

Background and aims: Internet seems to be increasingly involved a major part of the daily lives of population. In recent years, many reports have confirmed the huge number of internet users worldwide. This article is seeking to explore the factors contributing to the tendency to internet in students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences (SKUMS) and aimed to recommend some preventive strategies to deal with their extreme tendencies to the internet usage. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among 378 students and teachers of SKUMS, randomly enrolled using stratified random sampling from different faculties. To measure the variables, a questionnaire was used. Results: The results showed that the factors such as the tendency to make temporary friends, more attention to the opposite sex, and the loneliness were the most important determinants of extreme tendency to the internet usage. The designing some courses in different educational periods in order to make them more familiar with various online crimes as well as ways of self-protection was one of the most important preventive strategies to deal with extreme tendency to internet. Conclusion: Several factors could contribute into extreme tendency to internet among university students, which have to be identified, and effective strategies should also be exploited to deal with the extreme tendency to internet.