Problematic use of the Internet in low- and middle-income countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Abstract

People from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) represent large portions of the world population, often occupy less favorable living conditions, and typically suffer greater health risks, yet frequently receive little research and global health attention. The present study reviews emerging evidence on problematic use of the Internet (PUI) in LMICs prior/during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzed studies mainly focused on general properties of PUI in university students, problematic gaming in youth, or problematic use of social media in adults, registering higher prevalence estimates, as compared with earlier reports. Research mainly focused on initially affected regions and COVID-exposed populations. Overall, unfavorable circumstances, including poor social support, family relationships, and lifestyle tendencies/habits, may present potential risk for PUI in LMICs, likely exacerbated during the pandemic.

Figure 1

Conceptual framework of the search strategy and criteria for selection of relevant articles on PUI in LMICs in the period preceding or coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic (2018–2021). The search strategy included original research studies, published two years prior and two years into the pandemic. The search criteria included a combination of terms or phrases pertaining to the topics of interest: problematic use, Internet activity, and low- or middle-income countries. The search procedure was conducted via two academic databases, covering literature in the matching areas of interest from both the biomedical and the psychological domain (PubMed and APA PsycInfo). The list of LMICs (low-income, lower–middle-, and upper–middle-income countries) is based upon the latest criteria and classifications by the World Bank.

Figure 2

A flow diagram depicting selection of relevant studies on PUI in LMICs in the period preceding or coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic (2018–2021). Reports on problematic gambling in LMICs were excluded from the final review since they predominantly explored on-site, rather than online gambling. The diagram was informed by the standards for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRIS.