Alarming Increase in Electronic Gadget Usage among Students during a Layer of the Global Pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ejt.1533Keywords:
Electronic Gadgets, Nomophobia, COVID-19, Addiction.Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to determine the association between the usage of electronic gadgets on students' physical health and cognitive skills. As COVID-19 indicated extensive use of technology, the main outcome of this study is to intervene in the impact of electronic gadgets either positive or negative on student life.
Methodology: Over 01 year (Feb 21 to Jan 22), this Quantitative- Analytical Cross-sectional study was conducted at Indus University of Health and science, Korangi Crossing, Karachi. Students of three academic departments of the university participated in the study i.e., Indus College of Allied Health Sciences, Indus College of Physical Therapy, and College of Nursing. Sample size of 170 with the margin of error as 4.6% and 95% confidence level. Both male and female age group between (16 to 35) active user of social media and electronic gadgets was enrolled in study from any discipline (nursing, allied health, biosciences, medical technology etc.). Any person with mental and physical disorder previously diagnosed or under any psychological treatment or medication was not included in the study
Findings: 35 participants (20.5 %) average time spent on a smartphone is 1 to 4 hours and 135 participants (79%) average time spent on a smartphone is more than 4 hours. Statistical significance was found for cervical pain & fatigue with more time spent on a smartphone.
Recommendations: The present study highlights one public health issue because nowadays exposure to electronic gadgets is increasing day by day and in our society, youth are getting high exposure.
Downloads
References
Banerjee D. The COVID-19 outbreak: Crucial role the psychiatrists can play. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2020;50:102014.
Kar SK;Arafat SMY;Sharma P;Dixit A;Marthoenis M;Kabir R; Covid-19 pandemic and addiction: Current problems and future concerns [Internet]. Asian journal of psychiatry. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32305033/
Sarla, G. S. (2020). Excessive use of electronic gadgets: health effects. The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine, 31(4), 408-411.
JB B MP, Thulasi PC, Philip J. Nomophobia-do we really need to worry about. Reviews of Progress. 2013 May 31;1(1):1-5.
Nawaz I, Sultana I, Amjad MJ, Shaheen A. Measuring the enormity of Nomophobia among youth in Pakistan. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science. 2017;2(3-4):149-55.
Mariam F, Kamal MY, Lukman ZM, Azlini C, Normala R. The Effect in Cognitive, Affective, and Behavior of Using Electronic Gadget among University Students. Tablet. 2018;37:10-5.
Praveena Devi, C. B., Samreen, S., Vaishnavi, B., Navitha, D., Kusuma Kumari, N., Sharma, J., & Sirisha, P. A study on impact of electronic devices on youngsters. ~ 283 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal. 2019. 8(5), 283-292.
Pachiyappan, T., Kumar, K.V., Mark, P., Venugopal, R., Jilumudi, D. and Palanisamy, B., 2021. Effects of excessive usage of electronic gadgets during COVID-19 lockdown on health of college students: An online cross-sectional study. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Health Care, pp.139-145.
Revathi KS, Nair S, Achuthan A. Influence of technological gadgets on health and lifestyle of medico. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2020;10(3):201-5.
Fowler J, Noyes J. A study of the health implications of mobile phone use in 8-14s. Dyna. 2017 Mar;84(200):228-33.
van Velthoven, M. H., Powell, J., & Powell, G.Problematic smartphone use: Digital approaches to an emerging public health problem. Digital Health. 2018; 4, 205520761875916.
Arumugam N, Selvanayagam S, Sathiyasenan ST. The Effects of Smartphone Usage on University Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development. 2020;9(3):170-83.
Ward, A. F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., & Bos, M. W. Brain drain: The mere presence of one's own smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. 2017; 2(2), 140-154.
Shakoor F, Fakhar A, Abbas J. Impact of smartphones usage on the learning behaviour and academic performance of students: empirical evidence from Pakistan. Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci. 2021;11(2):862-81.
Ali, A., Siddiqui, A.A., Arshad, M.S., Iqbal, F. and Arif, T.B., Effects of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on lifestyle and mental health of students: A retrospective study from Karachi, Pakistan Effets de la pandmie de COVID-19 et du verrouillage sur le mode de vie et la sant mentale des tudiants: une tude rtrospective à Karachi, Pakistan.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Fahad Ahmed, Aslam Fareed, Atiya Rahman Khan, Danish Ali Siddiqui, Javeria Akhter, Danish Ahmed Khan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
