Smartphone addiction among dental students in university of sumatera utara during covid-19

Abstract

Introduction: During covid-19, smartphone can be used as an effective learning media, information center, communication media, and a device to increase students’ knowledge. Many advantages can be obtained by using smartphone during distance learning. However, excessive smartphone use also results in many disadvantages. The students become addicted to the features provided in smartphones. If the user is addicted, then the user will feel anxious if not using the smartphone for too long. This condition is called smartphone addiction. This study was conducted to find characteristic of smartphone use, smartphone addiction percentage, and its percentage according to gender among dental students in University of Sumatera Utara during covid-19. Methods: This study is a descriptive study with the cross-sectional method, using Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed using Google forms and then collected and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Total study respondents with the inclusion criteria is 289 respondents (51 male, 238 female). Results: Results showed the most respondents (33,9%) agree that they lost their work plan caused by smartphone use and the least respondents (29,1%) don’t agree that people around them say they use smartphone too often. Most of the respondents (77,9%) are experiencing smartphone addiction (88,2% male, 76,5% female). Conclusion: It was found that the majority of respondents are experiencing smartphone addiction. Further education needed among dental students to know addiction smartphone symptoms earlier and to control smartphone use according to the needs. Keywords: covid-19; dental students; SAS-SV questionnaire; smartphone addtiction