SMARTPHONE ADDICTION: PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF A MEDICAL COLLEGE IN TAMIL NADU, INDIA – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Abstract
Background: Smartphone proliferation has raised concerns over smartphone addiction among medical students under academic pressure. Excessive use has been linked to detrimental physical and psychological effects, impacting academic performance and well-being. Purpose: This study aims to determine smartphone addiction prevalence and associated factors in undergraduate medical students at a Tamil Nadu medical college. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students using the Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Version (SAS-SV). Results: Smartphone addiction was prevalent in 26.9% of the study population. About 86.1% of students use smartphones over 6 hours daily. Social networking and YouTube were the most used features. Multivariable analysis indicated that male gender with AOR 1.94 (1.19 – 3.18) and smartphone use over 6 hours per day with AOR 4.67 (2.48 – 8.78) were significantly associated with smartphone addiction. Conclusion: A study revealed 25% of medical students showed smartphone addiction symptoms. Male gender and prolonged daily use were key risk factors. The findings emphasize the need for behavioral interventions and school-based campaigns promoting responsible smartphone use and reducing addiction effects.
Abstrak
Latar Belakang: Penggunaan smartphone telah menyebar luas dengan meningkatnya kekhawatiran atas kecanduan smartphone, terutama di kalangan mahasiswa kedokteran yang berada di bawah tekanan akademik yang intens. Penggunaan smartphone yang berlebihan telah dikaitkan dengan efek fisik dan psikologis yang merugikan, yang berdampak pada kinerja akademik dan kesehatan psikologis. Tujuan: Studi ini bertujuan untuk memperkirakan prevalensi kecanduan smartphone dan faktor terkait pada mahasiswa kedokteran sarjana di sebuah perguruan tinggi kedokteran di Tamil Nadu. Metode: Studi cross-sectional ini dilakukan di kalangan mahasiswa kedokteran sarjana menggunakan Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Version (SAS-SV). Hasil: Kecanduan smartphone lazim terjadi pada 26,9% dari populasi penelitian. Sekitar 86.1% siswa menggunakan smartphone selama lebih dari 6 jam per hari. Jejaring sosial dan YouTube adalah fitur yang paling sering digunakan. Analisis multivariabel menunjukkan bahwa jenis kelamin pria dengan AOR 1,94 (1,19 – 3,18) dan penggunaan smartphone selama lebih dari 6 jam per hari dengan AOR 4,67 (2,48 – 8,78) secara signifikan terkait dengan kecanduan smartphone. Kesimpulan: Seperempat mahasiswa kedokteran ditemukan kecanduan smartphone. Jenis kelamin pria dan penggunaan harian yang berkepanjangan diidentifikasi sebagai faktor risiko utama. Temuan ini menggarisbawahi perlunya intervensi perilaku dan kampanye pendidikan berbasis sekolah yang mempromosikan penggunaan ponsel cerdas yang sehat dan mengurangi efek buruk dari kecanduan.
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