Smartphone addiction among medical students in Bisha, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Context: Smartphones are quickly becoming the most pervasive technological device on the planet.

Aims: This study aims to assess smartphone addiction and the factors associated with it among medical students.

Settings and design: This study was carried out in Bisha, Saudi Arabia, following a cross-sectional study design.

Methods and material: The data collection tool comprised a self-administered questionnaire. The validated Problematic Use of Mobile Phones (PUMP) scale was used. The PUMP score was calculated by summing up the scores for the individual questions such that higher scores indicate higher levels of addiction.

Statistical analysis used: Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied to observe the linear relationship between the PUMP scale total score and the quantitative study variables.

Results: The mean total PUMP score was 61.55, with a standard deviation of 13.16. The correlation coefficient between daily hours of smartphone usage and total PUMP score was 0.39, with a statistically significant P value (P < 0.0001). The correlation coefficient between smartphone use for games and total PUMP score was 0.19, with a statistically significant P value (P = 0.009). The correlation coefficient between GPA scores and total PUMP scores was -0.21, with a statistically significant P value (P = 0.003).

Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of smartphone addiction among medical students in Bisha city. There is a significant positive correlation between daily hours of smartphone usage and total PUMP score. Playing games on smartphones is significantly associated with smartphone addiction. There is a significant negative correlation relation between GPA score and total PUMP score.

Keywords: Academic performance; addiction medicine; medical students; smartphone.