Prevalencia de la adicción a los teléfonos inteligentes en estudiantes de medicinaIntroduction: Technological advancement has driven global progress, transforming smartphones into essential tools with multiple utilities. However, excessive use can lead to addiction.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of smartphone addiction among medical students.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive quantitative study was conducted at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Santiago campus, between January and April 2020. The final sample included 201 participants selected through convenience sampling.
Results: 48.8% of participants exhibited smartphone addiction, predominantly women aged 20-24. There was a significant relationship between addiction and symptoms of depression (p=0.007) and anxiety (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Medical students are at high risk of smartphone addiction, negatively impacting their health. It is recommended to promote psychological counseling services and non-technological activities, as well as further research in this population.
Keywords:
anxiety; depression; medical students; smartphone; sleep quality