Smartphone addiction is increasing across the world: A meta-analysis of 24 countries

http://www.thelancet.com/article/S2589537022001821/pdf

Changes and correlates of screen time in adults and children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Over the past two decades, smartphones have become common, and the accompanying devices have also become much more popular and easily accessible worldwide. With the development of smartphones, accompanied by internet facilities, excessive smartphone use or smartphone addiction may cause sleep disturbance and daily dysfunction. This study proposed examining the association between personality traits and smartphone addiction and its effects on sleep disturbance. Four hundred and twenty-two university participants (80 male and 342 female participants) with a mean age of 20.22 years old were recruited in this study. All participants were asked to complete the following questionnaires: Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI), Tri-dimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ), and Chinese Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Index (CPSQI). The results showed that people with a high tendency toward novelty seeking (NS) as a personality trait, compared to those with lower tendency toward NS, are more likely to become addicted to smartphone use. Moreover, those with a stronger trait of being NS and specific impulsivity factor were found to have higher total scores in the SPAI (p < 0.05). In addition, linear regression analysis showed that the individuals with higher scores for withdrawal symptoms on the SPAI and anticipatory worry factor on the TPQ tended to have higher CPSQI total scores (p < 0.05). This information may be useful for prevention in individuals with personality traits making them vulnerable to smartphone addiction and for designing intervention programs to reduce intensive smartphone use and programs to increase capability in managing smartphone use.

An Investigation into Smartphone Addiction with Personality and Sleep Quality among University Students

Online media consumption and depression in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions placed upon society have had a profound impact on both physical and mental health, particularly for young people.The current study assesses the impact of COVID-19 on student mental health.Four hundred and thirty four first year Undergraduate students completed a battery of self-report questionnaires (PHQ-P, GAD-7 and SAS-SV) to assess for depression, anxiety and mobile phone addiction respectively with data being collected over a 2 year period. The data from each year was compared (216 and 218 students respectively).A MANOVA revealed that COVID-19 had a significant impact on self-reported levels of depression, anxiety and smartphone addiction-which all significantly increased from the 2020 to the 2021 group. The percentage of students who had a score which warranted a classification of clinical depression increased from 30 to 44%, and for anxiety increased from 22 to 27%-those students who showed a comorbidity across the two rose from 12 to 21%. Smartphone addiction levels rose from 39 to 50%. Correlational analysis showed a significant relationship between Smartphone usage and depression and anxiety.This research suggests that COVID-19 has had a major impact upon student mental health, and smartphone addiction. The importance of identifying predictive factors of depression and anxiety is emphasised, and suggestions for intervention are discussed. 

/pdf/effects-of-the-covid-19-lockdown-on-mental-health-in-a-uk-2oqd3819.pdf

Effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on mental health in a UK student sample

Background In a large UK study we investigated the relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality in a young adult population Methods We undertook a large UK cross-sectional observational study of 1043 participants aged 18 to 30 between January 21st and 30th February 2019 Participants completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version, an adapted Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Score Index and reported smartphone use reduction strategies using both in-person (n=968) and online (n=75) questionnaires A crude and adjusted logistic regression was fitted to assess risk factors for smartphone addiction, and the association between smartphone addiction and poor sleep Results 1071 questionnaires were returned, of which 1043 participants were included, with median age 211 (interquartile range (IQR) 19-22) 763 (732%) were female, and 406 reported smartphone addiction (389%) A large proportion of participants disclosed poor sleep (616%), and in those with smartphone addiction, 687% had poor sleep quality, compared to 571% of those without Smartphone addiction was associated with poor sleep (aOR=141, 95%CI:106-187, p=0018) Conclusions Using a validated instrument, a large minority of young adults reported smartphone addiction Smartphone addiction was associated with poor sleep, independent of duration of usage, indicating that length of time should not be used as a proxy for harmful usage Funding The study was not funded

/pdf/the-association-between-smartphone-addiction-and-sleep-a-uk-1da7lfpqbz.pdf

The Association Between Smartphone Addiction and Sleep: A UK Cross-Sectional Study of Young Adults.

Are smartphones addictive? An urgent question in the pandemic age

Abstract Background Diagnosis of internal external ventricular drain (EVD)-related infections (iERI) is an area of diagnostic difficulty. Empiric treatment is often initiated on clinical suspicion. There is limited guidance around antimicrobial management of confirmed versus suspected iERI. Methods Data on patients requiring EVD insertion were collected from 21 neurosurgical units in the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2015. Confirmed iERI was defined as clinical suspicion of infection with positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and/or Gram stain. Cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and clinical parameters and antimicrobial management were compared between the 2 groups. Mortality and Modified Rankin Scores were compared at 30 days post-EVD insertion. Results Internal EVD-related infection was suspected after 46 of 495 EVD insertions (9.3%), more common after an emergency insertion. Twenty-six of 46 were confirmed iERIs, mostly due to Staphylococci (16 of 26). When confirmed and suspected infections were compared, there were no differences in CSF white cell counts or glucose concentrations, nor peripheral blood white cell counts or C-reactive protein concentrations. The incidence of fever, meningism, and seizures was also similar, although altered consciousness was more common in people with confirmed iERI. Broad-spectrum antimicrobial usage was prevalent in both groups with no difference in median duration of therapy (10 days [interquartile range {IQR}, 7–24.5] for confirmed cases and 9.5 days [IQR, 5.75–14] for suspected, P = 0.3). Despite comparable baseline characteristics, suspected iERI was associated with lower mortality and better neurological outcomes. Conclusions Suspected iERI could represent sterile inflammation or lower bacterial load leading to false-negative cultures. There is a need for improved microbiology diagnostics and biomarkers of bacterial infection to permit accurate discrimination and improve antimicrobial stewardship.

/pdf/comparison-of-suspected-and-confirmed-internal-external-3ddneexr.pdf

Comparison of Suspected and Confirmed Internal External Ventricular Drain-Related Infections: A Prospective Multicenter United Kingdom Observational Study

Sei Yon Sohn

Papers

The Association Between Smartphone Addiction and Sleep: A UK Cross-Sectional Study of Young Adults.

Are smartphones addictive? An urgent question in the pandemic age

Comparison of Suspected and Confirmed Internal External Ventricular Drain-Related Infections: A Prospective Multicenter United Kingdom Observational Study