42% of dental students spend 8 hours on their phone daily

In a recent study conducted among dental students in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts, it was discovered that 42% of participants exhibited smartphone addiction. This addiction was associated with lower sleep quality and decreased mental well-being.

Published in the Journal Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, was led by researchers Turaga Sai Susmitha, S Jagadeeswara Rao, and Dolar Doshi from Government Dental College& hospital in Hyderabad, involved 427 undergraduate dental students and revealed that the main reason for the smartphone usage was social networking, particularly among addicts.

“Addicts tended to use smartphones more at night, while non-addicts used them more in the evening,” said the researchers.

The study also highlighted that smartphone addicts exhibited poorer mental well-being compared to non-addicts. Factors contributing to addiction included social media, browsing educational content, and peer pressure.

Despite a higher percentage (79%) of female participants, addiction levels did not significantly differ by gender. Social networking (44%) was the primary reason for smartphone usage among addicts, while phone calls and text messages (37.5%) were preferred by non-addicts.

Addicts typically spend 6 to 8 hours per day on smartphones, leading to disruptions in daily life, poor sleep quality, and mental well-being.

Withdrawal symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating and physical discomfort, were also observed.

The study underscored the detrimental effects of smartphone addiction on dental students’ lives and emphasised on the importance of addressing this issue.

Reference: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2023.101447