Prevalence and predictors of problematic smartphone use among university undergraduates.
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Community Health Society of Malaysia.
Abstract
Background: A smartphone is a mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer,
typically having a touchscreen interface, internet access, and an operating system capable of
running downloaded applications. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence
and predictors of problematic smartphone use (PSU) among university undergraduates.
Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional design. PSU was studied among the students using the
Smartphone Addiction Scale- Short version (SAS-SV).
Results: Mean age was 21.3+2.59 years, mostly female (55.2%). The prevalence of smartphone
ownership was 99.4% (3305). 13.9% of students had PSU. Factors associated with PSU were
female gender (p=0.001), owning more than one smartphone (p=0.001), time spent on making
phone calls (<0.001), surfing social media (<0.001), engaging in overnight phone call/social media chat (p=0.001), use of Twitter (p=0.002), Instagram (p=0.001), Snapchat (p=0.001), YouTube
(p=0.001), online gaming (p=0.002), presence of probable psychiatric morbidity (p=0.001) and
insomnia (p<0.001). The predictors of PSU were female gender (OR 1.305, p=0.038), engaging in
overnight calls or social media chats (OR 2.243, p=0.001), using a smartphone in bed when unable
to sleep at night (OR 2.832, p=0.003), probable psychiatric morbidity (OR 1.671, p<0.001), and
insomnia (OR 1.298, p=0.043).
Conclusion: Compared with other studies the prevalence of PSU among our participants is
relatively low. However, PSU is a potentially disruptive behavioural addiction in undergraduates.
Knowing predictors of PSU offers an opportunity for preventive counselling early in the course of
study of all undergraduates.
Description
Keywords
Problematic smartphone use, university undergraduates, smartphone addiction
Citation
International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences 10(1):1-18