Association between Urban Upbringing and Compulsive Internet Use in Japan: A Cross-Sectional, Multilevel Study with Retrospective Recall

Naonori Yasuma; Daisuke Nishi; Kazuhiro Watanabe; Hanako Ishikawa; Hisateru Tachimori; Tadashi Takeshima; Maki Umeda; Norito Kawakami

doi:10.3390/ijerph18189890

Association between Urban Upbringing and Compulsive Internet Use in Japan: A Cross-Sectional, Multilevel Study with Retrospective Recall

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 20;18(18):9890. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189890.

Authors

Naonori Yasuma^{1

2}, Daisuke Nishi^{1

3}, Kazuhiro Watanabe⁴, Hanako Ishikawa¹, Hisateru Tachimori^{5

6}, Tadashi Takeshima⁷, Maki Umeda⁸, Norito Kawakami¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
² Department of Community Mental Health and Law, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan.
³ Department of Public Mental Health Research, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan.
⁴ Department of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara 252-0374, Kanagawa, Japan.
⁵ Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Translational Medical Center, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan.
⁶ Endowed Course for Health System Innovation, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
⁷ Kawasaki City Inclusive Rehabilitation Center, Kawasaki 210-0005, Kanagawa, Japan.
⁸ Research Institute of Nursing Care for People and Community, University of Hyogo, Akashi 673-8588, Hyogo, Japan.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to show the association between urban upbringing and compulsive internet use (CIU). The interview data of the sample (N = 2431) was obtained from the World Mental Health Japan Second Survey and a multilevel model was used to investigate the association. Multiple imputation was also conducted in this study. Growing up in a large city was significantly associated with higher Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) scores (γ = 1.65, Standard Error (SE) = 0.45) and Mild CIU + Severe CIU (Exp(γ) = 1.44; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (1.04-2.00)) compared to growing up in a small municipality after adjusting for both sociodemographic characteristics and psychopathology. This study showed a possible association between urban upbringing and CIU. Future studies with longitudinal design are needed to better understand this association.

Keywords: compulsive internet use; hierarchical model; urban upbringing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Compulsive Behavior* / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Internet
Internet Use*
Japan / epidemiology
Retrospective Studies

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding