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Smartphone Addiction and Associated Health Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review

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  • Zubair Ahmed Ratan

    (School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
    Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Khulna 9203, Bangladesh)

  • Anne-Maree Parrish

    (School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia)

  • Sojib Bin Zaman

    (Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia)

  • Mohammad Saud Alotaibi

    (School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
    Department of Social Work, College of Social Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca 24382, Saudi Arabia)

  • Hassan Hosseinzadeh

    (School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia)

Abstract

Background: Smartphones play a critical role in increasing human–machine interactions, with many advantages. However, the growing popularity of smartphone use has led to smartphone overuse and addiction. This review aims to systematically investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on health outcomes. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to carry out the systematic review. Five electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus were searched to identify eligible studies. Eligible studies were screened against predetermined inclusion criteria and data were extracted according to the review questions. This review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181404). The quality of the articles was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results: A total of 27 of 2550 articles met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies were cross-sectional and focused on physical, mental, and neurological health outcomes. The majority of the studies focused on mental health outcomes and consistent associations were observed between smartphone addiction and several mental health outcomes. Anxiety and depression were commonly found to mediate mental health problems. A wide range of physical health sequelae was also associated with smartphone addiction. Furthermore, there was an association between smartphone addiction and neurological disorders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there are consistent associations between smartphone addiction and physical and mental health, especially mental health. Social awareness campaigns about smartphone addiction and its impact on physical and mental health are needed. Further studies, especially randomized controlled trials, are warranted to validate the impacts of smartphone addiction.

Suggested Citation

  • Zubair Ahmed Ratan & Anne-Maree Parrish & Sojib Bin Zaman & Mohammad Saud Alotaibi & Hassan Hosseinzadeh, 2021. "Smartphone Addiction and Associated Health Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12257-:d:685006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hsien-Yuan Lane & Chin-Jui Chang & Chieh-Liang Huang & Yun-Hsuan Chang, 2021. "An Investigation into Smartphone Addiction with Personality and Sleep Quality among University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Yeon-Jin Kim & Hye Min Jang & Youngjo Lee & Donghwan Lee & Dai-Jin Kim, 2018. "Effects of Internet and Smartphone Addictions on Depression and Anxiety Based on Propensity Score Matching Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-10, April.
    3. Anna Maria Annoni & Serena Petrocchi & Anne-Linda Camerini & Laura Marciano, 2021. "The Relationship between Social Anxiety, Smartphone Use, Dispositional Trust, and Problematic Smartphone Use: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Min Kwon & Joon-Yeop Lee & Wang-Youn Won & Jae-Woo Park & Jung-Ah Min & Changtae Hahn & Xinyu Gu & Ji-Hye Choi & Dai-Jin Kim, 2013. "Development and Validation of a Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(2), pages 1-7, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Lidia Mascia & Mirian Agus & Łukasz Tomczyk & Natale Salvatore Bonfiglio & Diego Bellini & Maria Pietronilla Penna, 2023. "Smartphone Distraction: Italian Validation of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Mohsen Saffari & Jung-Sheng Chen & Hung-Ching Wu & Xavier C. C. Fung & Chih-Cheng Chang & Yen-Ling Chang & Ruckwongpatr Kamolthip & Marc N. Potenza & I-Ching Lin & Chung-Ying Lin, 2022. "Effects of Weight-Related Self-Stigma and Smartphone Addiction on Female University Students’ Physical Activity Levels," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-11, February.
    3. Mohammad Saud Alotaibi & Mim Fox & Robyn Coman & Zubair Ahmed Ratan & Hassan Hosseinzadeh, 2022. "Perspectives and Experiences of Smartphone Overuse among University Students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-21, April.
    4. Zubair Ahmed Ratan & Anne-Maree Parrish & Mohammad Saud Alotaibi & Hassan Hosseinzadeh, 2022. "Prevalence of Smartphone Addiction and Its Association with Sociodemographic, Physical and Mental Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study among the Young Adults of Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Pu Song & Xiangwei Liu & Xuan Cai & Mengmeng Zhong & Qingqing Wang & Xiangmei Zhu, 2024. "Predictive analysis of college students’ academic procrastination behavior based on a decision tree model," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Hsiu-Man Lin & Yu-Tzu Chang & Meng-Hsiang Chen & Shu-Tsen Liu & Bo-Shen Chen & Lin Li & Chiao-Yu Lee & Yu-Ru Sue & Tsai-Mei Sung & Cheuk-Kwan Sun & Pin-Yang Yeh, 2022. "Structural and Functional Neural Correlates in Individuals with Excessive Smartphone Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Boon Yew Wong & Kee Jiar Yeo & Shih-Hui Lee, 2024. "Bibliometric Analysis of Smartphone Addiction Literature," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, September.
    8. Mohammad Saud Alotaibi & Mim Fox & Robyn Coman & Zubair Ahmed Ratan & Hassan Hosseinzadeh, 2022. "Smartphone Addiction Prevalence and Its Association on Academic Performance, Physical Health, and Mental Well-Being among University Students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-17, March.
    9. Livia Jonnatan & Cherisse L. Seaton & Kathy L. Rush & Eric P. H. Li & Khalad Hasan, 2022. "Mobile Device Usage before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Rural and Urban Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Marta Nowak & Kamila Rachubińska & Małgorzata Starczewska & Ewa Kupcewicz & Aleksandra Szylińska & Aneta Cymbaluk-Płoska & Elżbieta Grochans, 2022. "Correlations between Problematic Mobile Phone Use and Depressiveness and Daytime Sleepiness, as Well as Perceived Social Support in Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-12, October.

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