Nomophobia: Prevalence and severity among Indian medical students - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Background: A growing dependence on smartphones for social interactions and learning has raised concerns about the psychological consequences of excessive usage, and nomophobia is one such concern.

Aim: This review study and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of nomophobia among Indian medical students.

Methods: After a thorough search of the databases PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and EBSCO, the researchers found 77 studies. The processes of study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias evaluation were carried out by two independent reviewers. The statewise subgroups analysis was done, and heterogeneity was detected using sensitivity analysis using R programming. The study protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024610302).

Results: The analysis identified 24 studies with 7172 participants from diverse Indian states. The pooled prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe nomophobia among medical students was found to be 25% (95% CI: 21%-30%), 59% (95% CI: 54%-63%), and 14% (95% CI: 12%-17%), respectively. Subgroup analyses indicated notable differences in the severity of nomophobia, with West Bengal [84.82 (95% CI: 75.39-94.25)] and Uttarakhand [81.49 (95% CI: 78.29-84.69)] having the highest mean scores of nomophobia and Gujarat [60.00 (95% CI: 58.61-61.39)] having the lowest.

Conclusion: The results show that nomophobia is prevalent among Indian medical students, underscoring the need to implement support services for individuals struggling with technology addiction such as time management and mindfulness training.