Mobile Phone Usage Pattern and Incidence of Self-Reported Health Problems among a Selected Population of University Students in Sri Lanka: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Excessive use of mobile phones has become an emerging challenge to the public health
worldwide. The purpose of this study was to assess mobile phone usage pattern and incidence of selfreported health problems among a selected population of university students in Sri Lanka.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample of 2nd and 3rd
year undergraduates (n=372) of University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. Self-designed, pre tested
self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Association between categorical variables
were tested using Pearson chi square test and effect size was tested by means of Cramer’s V.
Results: Majority of the students were using their mobile phones for 1 to 5-year duration (61.3%) and
1-5-hour duration per day (56.5%). Majority of the participants (83.1%) were moderately addicted to
their mobile phones while 5.1% were severely addicted. Significantly higher mobile phone addiction
level was associated with incidence of self-reported headache, body ache, ear ache, eye strain,
irritability/restlessness, sleep disturbances, hearing defects while or after using mobile phone (p<0.01)
and phantom vibration among the participants (p<0.05).
Conclusion: It is a timely need to educate especially vulnerable groups such as young adults and
adolescents to depend less on the device or to take measures to prevent from the associated health
hazards of problematic usage of mobile phones