Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Volume 19, Issue 24, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416583
Keywords
smartphone addiction; physical and mental health; prevalence; Bangladesh
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Smartphone addiction is a growing problem globally, especially among young people. This study conducted in Bangladesh found that over 61% of young adults were addicted to their smartphones. The research identified being male, younger in age, unemployed, and living in a large family as significant predictors of smartphone addiction.
Smartphones have made our lives easier and have become indispensable for everyday life; however, their uncontrolled and excessive use can trigger smartphone addiction (SA). SA is a rising public health issue, particularly among young people around the world. There is a dearth of empirical research about SA and its impacts on young adults, particularly in developing countries such as Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study is an attempt to fill this gap. The data were collected from 440 eligible young adults in Bangladesh using an online survey between July 2021 and February 2022. Study results revealed that 61.4% of the young adults were addicted to their smartphone. Logistic regression analysis showed that being male, aged <= 25, unemployed and living with a large family size (>= 8) were the significant sociodemographic predictors of SA. Smartphone-addicted participants were more likely to be less physically active, suffer from insomnia, be overweight or obese and use their phones while driving, walking and eating. In addition, the SA group were more likely to have physical and mental well-being problems. This study brings to light significant implications for policy makers and indicates a need for an SA community awareness programme which aims to reduce SA at the societal level.
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