Over-the-top (OTT) entertainment viewership addiction among the undergraduates of a medical college in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Background: There has been a sudden surge in the popularity of OTT (Over-the-top) viewership during the recent pandemic mostly among youngsters. This has also influenced their physical, mental, and social health.

Objectives: To find the prevalence of OTT addiction among medical students and evaluate its effect on their physical, mental, and social health. We have also assessed the factors responsible for the preference for OTT over other platforms.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among consenting medical students, aged 18 years and above, in a medical college in Bhubaneswar from April 2022 to June 2022. The total sample was 423. The participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data was collected through a pre-tested questionnaire shared with the respondent's emails. Data was collected on socio-demographics, OTT usage patterns, the effects of OTT on health, and factors responsible for OTT preference among the students. Data was compiled in Microsoft Excel and analyzed by STATA-17.

Results: Out of 430 final participants, 59.43% were males. The prevalence of OTT addiction in our study was 68.37%. OTT addiction was significantly associated with residence (P = 0.044), course year (0.021), duration of OTT usage (P < 0.01), type of content viewed (P = 0.000031), and preferred watch time (P < 0.01). Some factors identified that favor OTT preference were instant content, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

Conclusion: Almost two-thirds of study participants had OTT addiction. OTT had a significant negative effect on students' physical, mental, and social health.