N. Chinna Chadayan and D. Melba Sahaya Sweety
Introduction: Smartphones have become integral to daily life, providing extensive connectivity and convenience. However, concerns about smartphone addiction have grown, especially among student populations, due to its potential impacts on mental health and academic performance.
Objective: This research intends to evaluate the prevalence of smartphone addiction and examine its related health consequences among General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) students at a nursing college in Murshidabad District, India.
Methods and materials: Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 50 GNM students via self-structured questionnaires. The survey covered demographic details, smartphone usage patterns, self-assessment of addiction levels and reported health impacts. Sampling was conducted through total enumeration to ensure comprehensive representation.
Results: The study found a significant prevalence of smartphone addiction among GNM students, with 57.43% exhibiting moderate addiction levels. They commonly reported usage included social networking (100%) and entertainment (81.08%), with daily usage averaging 3 to 6 hours. Health impacts such as inadequate sleep, poor concentration, headaches and mental fatigue were prevalent, with a mean health impact score of 28.05 (± 4.67).
Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of implementing strategies to encourage responsible smartphone usage and reduce health impacts among nursing students. Taking action on these matters could improve student welfare and academic achievements significantly.
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Journal of Advanced Practices in Nursing received 410 citations as per Google Scholar report
