Digital addiction among female university students: a cross-sectional study in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Digital addiction is becoming increasingly prevalent, especially among university students in developing countries like Bangladesh. This study primarily aimed to understand digital addiction among female university students in Bangladesh and to identify the factors associated with it. METHODS: A descript type of cross-sectional survey was conducted among 614 female university students (mean age: 21.65 ± 1.49 years) in Mirpur, Azimpur, Uttara, and Savar areas of the Dhaka district in Bangladesh between September 2 and October 15, 2023. The survey comprised a semi-structured questionnaire encompassing sections on informed consent, socio-demographic details, and the evaluation of digital addiction (i.e., Digital Addiction Scale [DAS]). Data were analyzed using Stata (Version 15.0) and SPSS (Version 26.0). RESULTS: The digital addiction score averaged 59.47 ± 18.33 out of 95 indicates the increasing level of digital addiction based on assumption. Factors such as higher education level, unmarried status, lack of physical exercise, poor self-perception of physical and mental health, and over 4 h of daily social media use were positively associated with digital addiction, while higher family income was linked to a lower likelihood of experiencing it. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new insights into the factors associated with digital addiction among female university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It highlighted that lifestyle habits, mental health perceptions, and social media use contribute to digital addiction. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions, including mental health support, awareness programs, and strategies to promote balanced digital engagement among students.