Mobile Technology Use and its Impact on Physical, Mental Health, and Social Health in A Community Population

Shrijal M Rao, Dhanya T Bappanad

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Srinivas College of Pharmacy, Valachil, Mangaluru -574143 

*Correspondence: shrijalmrao@gmail.com

DOI: https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2025.4903  

INTRODUCTION

Mobile phones are now a part of everyday living. They make life easier by giving quick access to information, helping people stay connected, and supporting work, study, and social interactions. At the same time, spending too much time on smartphones or using them in an unbalanced way has raised concerns. Many people experience effects on their physical health, mental well-being, and even the quality of their social relationships.

Using mobile phones for long hours is often linked with physical issues like poor posture, eye strain, less physical activity, and disturbed sleep. Studies show that using a phone before going to bed can affect sleep quality, delay the time it takes to fall asleep, and cause tiredness during the day [1]. In the same way, frequent and heavy use of smartphones has been connected with higher stress levels, trouble sleeping, and feelings of depression in young adults [2]. More recently, research has also pointed out that problematic smartphone use may increase the chances of anxiety, low mood, and poor sleep [3].

Some recent findings suggest that using mobile phones heavily over a long period of time may even affect brain structure and could increase the risk of neurodegenerative conditions [4]. Even so, mobile technology is not entirely harmful. When used in the right way, it can actually support health. For example, mobile health (mHealth) apps and programs have been shown to help people stay active, encourage healthy behavior changes, and maintain improvements over time [5]. Smartphones have also been used in rehabilitation, where certain applications have helped patients improve their balance and walking ability, especially those needing long-term physical therapy [6]..

Since mobile technology can bring both benefits and drawbacks, it is important to look at how it affects physical, mental, and social health as a whole. Much of the existing research has mainly focused on students and young people, which means we know less about its impact on the general community. Studying this in a wider community setting can give valuable insights that will help in creating awareness programs, preventive measures, and digital literacy efforts to encourage healthier and more balanced use of mobile phones.

Objectives :

Primary objective :

·         To assess the impact of mobile phone usage pattern on physical and mental health outcomes among a community population .

Secondary objective :

·         To examine the association of behavioural factors and demographic factors with mobile phone usage patterns and related health outcomes

·         To determine the duration and frequency of daily mobile phone use and identify the main activities performed .

·         To assess the prevalence of health symptoms associated with mobile phone use, incuding eye strain ,headaches , sleep disturbance , difficulty concentrating and musculoskeletal pain .

Inclusion criteria :

·         Participants aged  >12 year.

·         Capable of understanding and responding to the survey questions.

Exclusion criteria :

·         Individuals  with  severe cognitive or neurological impairments affecting survey completion.

·         Participants with serious visual or musculoskeletal conditions unrelated to phone use that could affect reporting.

·         Those who are unable  to participate fully in the survey.

Sample size : 100

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 100 participants from diverse age groups, residential areas, and occupations to examine mobile phone usage patterns and related health outcomes. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire on demographics, daily phone usage, primary activities (social media, messaging, video streaming, browsing, gaming, shopping), use in bed, low-light use, and physical (eye strain, headache, neck/back pain) and mental symptoms (sleep disturbance, difficulty concentrating, irritability, anxiety). Ethical approval was obtained, and participants provided informed consent. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation for associations between usage and symptoms, and logistic regression to identify predictors, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Stastical analysis : Data were analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics summarized demographics, phone usage, and health symptoms. Spearman’s correlation assessed relationships between usage patterns and symptom counts, while logistic regression identified predictors of health outcomes. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

1.      AGE CATEGORIES OF STUDY POPULATION

The age group of 18–24 years old accounted for 70% of study participants, with 20% coming from 25–34 years old.  Older adults (≥35 years, 8%), or younger teenagers (12–13 years, 3%), made up just a minor percentage. This suggests that the study's participants were primarily young adults, who are the group most active in using mobile phones.

2.      OCCUPATION DISTRIBUTION OF STUDY PARTICIPANTS

The majority of the study's participants were students (66%), followed by working professionals (31%).  Just 2% of participants were employed in other occupations, and 1% were homemakers. The sample is primarily student-centered, as this distribution shows, which might be indicative of mobile technology usage trends among younger, more academically active populations.

3.      PLACE OF RESIDENCE

This table and figure  illustrate ,  Urban areas accounted for 53% of the participants, with rural and suburban areas following at 29% and 18%, respectively.  Given that cities have easier access to digital infrastructure and internet services than do rural and suburban areas, the study sample's preponderance of urban residents may have an impact on mobile technology use patterns.

4.      DISTRIBUTION OF DAILY MOBILE PHONE USAGE (IN HOURS)

According to the study, the majority of participants used their phones for a considerable period of time ,42% for three to four hours every day and 33% for more than five hours.  Just 2% of respondents said they used their phones for less than an hour, while 23% said they used them for one to two hours.  According to these results, the majority of people use their phones for significant periods of time each day, which may raise their chance of experiencing negative consequences on their physical and mental health.

5.      DISTRIBUTION OF MOBILE PHONE ACTIVITIES AMONG PARTICIPANTS

When mobile phone behaviors were analyzed, social media use was the most commonly reported activity (21.3%), followed by messaging (18.2%) and watching videos (16.8%).  A significant amount of use was also attributed to browsing/reading (12.0%) and work/study-related activities (15.4%).  By comparison, the least mentioned activities were gaming (6.4%) and shopping (9.8%).  According to these results, users' primary mobile phone usage were for social networking and communication, with entertainment and educational/professional objectives coming in second and third.

6.      REPORTED HEALTH CONSEQUENCES AMONG STUDY PARTICIPANTS

The study found that the most common outcomes linked to mobile technology use were headache (37%), sleep disturbance (43%), and eye strain (65%). These were followed by difficulty concentrating (31%), and neck/back pain (29%). In contrast, irritability (14%) and anxiety (6%) were less common, suggesting that physical effects are more common than psychological effects in this population.

7.      ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MOBILE PHONE USE PATTERNS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES

 Chi-Square Tests of Association between Mobile Phone Use Patterns and Health Outcomes.

The bar graph shows the connection between using a cell phone right before bed and the likelihood of experiencing sleep disturbances.  The highest percentage of sleep disturbances was experienced by those who reported frequently using their phones before bed, as opposed to those who reported "sometimes" or "never."  The opposite was true for those who said they never used their phones before bed; they experienced fewer issues with their sleep.

8.      SPEARMAN RANK CORRELATION BETWEEN MOBILE USE PATTERNS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES

The duration of mobile use was moderately positively correlated with the number of symptoms overall (r = 0.42, p < 0.01), as well as with mental (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) and physical (r = 0.39, p < 0.01) symptoms.  Furthermore, low-light mobile use shown a small-to-moderate positive correlation with eye strain (r = 0.30, p < 0.01), and mobile use before bed was moderately linked to sleep disruptions (r = 0.39, p < 0.01).  These results imply that increased symptom load, specifically in relation to sleep and eye health, is associated with prolonged and late-night mobile use.

CORRELATION BETWEEN DAILY MOBILE PHONE USE (HOURS/DAY) AND TOTAL SYMPTOM COUNT

The scatter plot shows a somewhat positive connection (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) between the overall number of symptoms and the amount of time spent using mobile phones each day.  The number of reported health complaints (such as headaches, eye strain, sleep disturbances, and trouble concentrating) climbs in tandem with the daily duration of mobile phone use.  According to the increasing trendline, people who use their phones more frequently (≥ 5 hours per day) report noticeably more symptoms than people who use them less frequently (< 2 hours per day).

SPEARMAN CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN MOBILE PHONE USE PATTERNS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES

According to the Spearman correlation analysis, a higher number of reported health symptoms was substantially correlated with increasing daily mobile phone use.  Hours of use were associated with higher counts of both physical and mental symptoms (r ≈ 0.40, p < 0.01).  Using a cell phone before bed was somewhat associated with sleep disturbances, whereas using it in low light had a smaller but still significant association with eye strain.  These results collectively imply that increased and situation-specific mobile phone use is linked to negative health consequences.

9.      LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF PREDICTORS OF SLEEP DISTURBANCE

According to the study, those who used their phones for more than five hours a day were 2.8 times more likely to experience symptoms than those who used them less (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.4–5.6, p = 0.002).  A significant correlation was also found between using a phone in bed and a higher incidence of symptoms (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2–3.9, p = 0.01).  There was no discernible correlation between the occurrence of symptoms and age or low light levels (p = 0.25 and 0.08, respectively).

ODDS RATIO (95% CI) FOR PREDICTORS OF SLEEP DISTRUBANCES

According to the logistic regression model, sleep disturbance is more strongly predicted by behavioral traits than by age, as shown in the above figure .  Cell phone use in bed quadrupled the chance of sleep problems (OR = 2.1, p = 0.010), while using a phone for more than five hours a day nearly tripled the risk (OR = 2.8, p = 0.002).  While low-light use showed a non-significant tendency (p = 0.08), age did not link with sleep disturbance when consumption behaviors were taken into account.

DISCUSSION

This study looked at how young adults' use of mobile phones affected their health and found a strong correlation between usage patterns and symptoms of physical illness.  The majority of users are between the ages of 18 and 24, which is consistent with worldwide trends showing that young adults use digital technology the most and frequently incorporate it into social and academic activities⁷.According to the research, this group uses mobile devices extensively, especially for social networking, chatting, and watching videos.  The most often reported symptoms were headaches, eye strain, and sleep problems, although psychological effects including worry and anger were less common⁸.

According to this study  pattern, cell phone use may have more detrimental consequences on physical health than psychological health in this population⁹.  In line with findings from earlier studies that link excessive mobile use to musculoskeletal discomfort, visual fatigue, and sleep disturbance, these physical complaints may be exacerbated by prolonged screen time, poor posture when using the device, and device interaction at night⁸,⁹.

According to correlation analyses, there was a moderate association between greater total, mental, and physical symptom counts⁹ and longer daily mobile use. Specifically, using a phone in bed was somewhat linked to sleep problems, confirming the idea that using devices at night can disrupt circadian cycles, postpone the onset of sleep, and lower the quality of sleep in general¹⁰.Similarly, albeit to a lesser extent, using low-light was linked to eye strain, which might be a result of the higher visual effort needed in less lit areas. Furthermore, the results of logistic regression confirmed that behavioral factors rather than age are the primary predictors of unfavorable outcomes.  While age and low light levels were not significant predictors, using a phone for more than five hours a day made symptoms far more likely, as did using a phone while in bed.

 The study's overall findings highlight the necessity of raising awareness and implementing interventions to lessen excessive and late-night mobile phone use¹¹.  Limiting daily screen time, avoiding using a phone in bed, taking frequent breaks from displays, and improving lighting are some strategies that may help lessen the negative effects of smartphones on sleep and physical health. ¹²,¹⁴.The sample's preponderance of young adults suggests that instructional programs aimed at them could be especially successful in encouraging better mobile phone usage¹⁵,¹⁶.

CONCLUSION

Mobile phones have become indispensable in today's world, providing critical assistance for social interaction, education, and communication.  However, this study demonstrates that excessive and uncontrolled use, especially among young individuals, is closely associated with health issues such headaches, eye strain, poor posture, sleep disturbances, concentration problems, and psychological stress.  These results underline how important it is to address mobile phone use as a public health concern as well as a lifestyle choice.  Useful tactics that can reduce injury include the 20-20-20 eye care guideline, proper posture, avoiding using screens right before bed, and limiting unnecessary screen time.  In order to create better habits, parental supervision, educational initiatives, and digital well-being tools are also essential.  By encouraging responsible online conduct, we can make sure that smartphones continue to be instruments of empowerment rather than threats.

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