https://doi.org/10.33698/NRF0197-Amanpreet Kaur, Ravinder Kaur, Rupinder Kaur
Abstract: Rapid expansion and proliferation of the mobile has provided better opportunities for communication ,information and social interaction .the excessive undisciplined use by individuals has led to the emergence of the concept of mobile phone dependency .psychological and environmental factors in the live of college students may leave them disproportionately vulnerable to mobile dependence. The present descriptive study was conducted to ascertain the mobile phone usage among nursing students studing in BSc And MSc Nursing courses in Khalsa College of Nursing ,Amritsar, Punjab (india) . A Total of 187 students using mobile for at least since last 6 months were selected by purposive sampling .mobile dependency scale ,consisting of 22-items,based upon five –point Likert scale was used and subjects were classified into normal users (score<20),mild (score20-49),moderate (score 50-79 ) and server (score>79)mobile dependency .the
Mobile dependency scale scoring revealed that 10.2%as normal users,647% as case of mild ,and 25.1% as moderately depemdent to mobile .in conclusion ,mobile usage is a growing problem among nursing students .so it is necessary to develop strategies for prevention of mobile dependency as well therapeutic interventions ,which is vital for promoting healthy and safe use of the mobile phones.
Keywords
Mobile dependency ; nursing students
Introduction
Technology is a queer thing .it brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in back with the with one hand ,and it stabs you in the back with the other————Carrie p snow comedian
Today this is difficult to think a life without a mobile phone because this is not only a phone but also a calculator ,camera ,computer ,e-mail,store house of information ,play station and a lovely music system too.these reasons are enough compelling to have and use mobile phones in our day to Day life for any gender or age .this usage of mobile phone is increasing day by day in numbers as well as in per hour per person usage too. As thescience develops new innovations as well as new products come for the comfort and help of mankind to lesser physical and mental labor and input efforts for a particular task. The mobile phones help us to this extent that somehow we become dependent on both of them and to a larger extent on mobile phones. nowadays almost every adult is having a mobile phone ,and so too many children have it. Nearly 500 crores of people are using cell phone round the globe ;mobile usage is highest in china ,followed by india. Indian market has emerged as the second –largest market after china for mobile phone handsets .this trend is having An upward swing especially in younger age group because of need as well as peer pressure .this changing trend of usage mobile phone for multitasking is day by day increasing as well as leading to certain changes in behavior and personality of users. Mobile phone has benefits in daily life .one can carry a mobile phone with him/her so he/she don’t miss important calls .if an individual is lost ,mobile can be called for directions .if people are in an accident ,it’s easy to call the police or ambulance and if the phone has a camera ,pictures of the accident can be taken .mobile can be used to listen to music ,text, play games when one gets bored .most mobile phones have a calculator and a phone book.it can be used to call customers or boss if anyone is running late to a meeting .one can surf internet and connect with the whole world by mobile .people can chat and video conference .it keeps in touch with friends and family .it is good for emergencies. the employees can keep in touch at all times .the customers can contact staff 24/7.phones have internet connection .they have cameras too. It’s easy to check emails. it can be used worldwide .it can fit into one’s pocket too.in addition ,recreation by games applications, mobile banking ,preparing presentations ,storage for numbers, addresses, data, reminders, alarm clock are available ,and even it becomes a torch during power failure. Besides advantages ,mobile phones have disastrous effects too. The radiations emitted have been blamed for various health hazards linked to and are blamed for causing hearing linked to and are blamed for causing hearing loss,skin diseases ,cancer.overuse/misuse may lead to problems such as loss of privacy,psychosomatic disorders leading to personality changes.many users use ear phones or headphones which may cause hearing problems as well as ear infections. using mobile for listening music has been blamed for number of road traffic accidents,because of poor listening and attention to other vehicles and lack of concentration and control while driving .sometimes the reception is poor in some areas,limiting connectivity (one can’t talk underground or on planes) .mobile can limit one’s face to face time with friends and family . it can be hard for older people to use. because of their smaller size ,mobile can very easily be lost .they can get people into trouble at school .it can be hard to find the right computer .mobile phones can be expensive.but it all depends on how an individual use this new technology .however,the view has also been expressed that ‘’mobile phone usage is a compulsive and addictive disorder which looks set to become one of the biggest non-drug addictions in the 21 st century.’’ Mobile or cell phone addiction appears to be a recent common disorder that merits inclusion in new classificatory systems-ICD –XI and DSM –V .IT Fulfills the diagnostic components: 1.excessive use-often associated with a loss of sense of time or a neglect of basic drives ,2. Withdrawal, including feelings of anger, tension and/or depression when the phone or network is inaccessible .also symptoms of Nomo phobia literally means no mobile phobia that is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact .if a person is in an area of no network ,has run out of balance or even worse run out of battery, the persons gets anxious ,which adversely affects the concentration level of the person .3. tolerance,including the need for new better cell instrument ,more software or more hours of use and 4.Negative Repercussions ,including lying Arguments, Poor Achievement ,social isolation and fatigue.the most interesting research published on cell phone dependence stresses the need for this diagnostic entity.dependence on space, time, social relations is replaced by dependence on the mobile phones. 1- 6 roughly 60% of American teenagers own a cell phone and Spend an average of an hour a day talking on them-about the same amount of time the average teenager spends doing home work.2 the reasons given for increasing status symbol ,enterainment etc. the health risks associated with its use are-addictive ,problematic with its use of cell phones (increased chances of low self-esteem,anxiety or depression ) ,bullying,eye,strain and ‘digital or mobile phone thumb’ , motor vehicle accidents,nosocomial infections ,lack of sleep ,brain tumors and low sperm counts ,headache,hearing loss,expense,dishonesty (cyber/communifaking i.e.communifaking is the act of pretending to be on your phone (calling ,texting ,surfing the web)when in actual fact ,you are just a phone call mking/taxing impostor who is not communicating with anyone at all (the reasons given for this behiavior are-doing it to avoid conversation with strange men,to steer clear from looking and feeling like billy no mates or you just simply want to show off)6-9 and dependence (37% of teens felt that they would not be able to live without cell phone once they had it ).3 the studies8 in Chinese population (160 million out of total 1.3 billion people ,the highest proportion in the world) show that people affected by dependence often mistake the ringing of other people’s phone as that of their own and tend to be bad tempered ,get distracted easily ,are restless ,gets easily excited ,have difficulty in focusing attention on work and are unsociable ,eccentric and using phones in spite of being facing hazards or having knowledge of harmful effects of this form of “electromagnetic pollution ” .along with cell phone dependence ,there may be psychiatric comorbidity (anxiety,ringxiety,depression ,nomophobia,insomnia,headache,dizziness,decline in quality of life) or physical sequelae (hearing loss,eye strain,digital thumb,allergic contact dermatitis etc) or behavioral co-morbidity (internet addiction,sex addiction,pathological gambling ,playing with different identities and projections and dissiociation without consequences in real life ,hyperpersonal communication in the form of chats and online games etc.).4 like any other addictive substance ,cell phone usage has been discouraged among pregnant ladies and children and also in patients on pacenakers and in hospitals where other electronic gazetters are in use (e.g. in operation theatres ).they are also not allowed in planes and petrol stations. The exact incidence or prevalence of cell phone dependence is unknown but it is prevalent in all cultures and societies and is rapidly rising .
cell phone addiction is resistant to treatment ,entails significant risks and has high relapse rates .moreover ,it also makes co morbid disorders less responsive to therapy .cell phone addiction will constitute a challenge to mental health profession because it is a socially –tolerated behavioural addiction . a research study by national communications commission ,the popularity rate of mobile phone was 107.3% it means that third –generation mobile technology ,each person will be more seriously dependence on mobile phones.6. A study revealed intensive cell phone use was associated with female sex,rural school location,excessive alcohol consumption ,depression ,cell phone dependence ,and school failure .more health education is needed to promote correct and effective cell phone use among adolescents factors associated with intensive use and dependence should be considered for possible to nursing students have on mobile it is important to identify hence the present study was conducted.
Research objectives
- to assess the mobile phone usage among nursing students
- to assess the mobile phone dependency among nursing students.
Material and methods
The sample consisted of 187 nursing students studying in BSc (Nursing ) and MSc (Nursing) .the
Study was conducted at khalsa college of nursing ,Amritsar (Punjab ) data were collected via survey completed by nursing students in their classrooms using convenient sampling technique.the tool consisted of three sections i.e. demographic profile ,basic parameters of mobile phone usage and mobile dependency questionnaire .age , sex ,residience,monthly family income and hosteller/day scholar were in socio-demographic information.basic parameters of mobile –phone usage included number of calls,messages,and missed calls per day ;average amount of time spent using mobile phones per day (messages and calls); monthly cost of mobile –phones use; ways of greatest use and availability of the phone .mobile dependency questionnaire contained 22 items. The first ten item wereanswered on a likert –type scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (frequently) .the 12 remaining items asked respondents to use a likert –type scale ranging from 0 (completely disagree) to 4 (completely agree) to respond to a set of statements .the scoring of mobile dependency was categorized as normal users (0-20),mild users (21-49),moderate users/at risk (50-79) and servere users/mobile dependent (.79).the researchers provided a series of instructions about how to respond to the questions.they also emphasized the need for honesty when filling out the survey and guatranteed the confidentiality of the responses.all the data were analysed using the SPSS statistical program.
Results
According to age,nearly half of subjects were found in 19-20 years (42.9%) of age group followed by 21-22 years (37.4%) ,above 20 years (27%) and 17-18 years (11.0%) years (27%) and 17-18 years (11.0%) years of age groups .the female subjects (95.7%) were higher in number as compared to male subjects (4.3%) .more than half (54.0%) of the subjects hailed from rural areas.pertaining to the class in which the students were studying ,majority of the students were undergraduates (95.8%) few were postgraduates (4.2%) .more than half (58.3%) had >Rs.20,000/- as monthly family income .day scholars were found higher in number (69.5%) and rest were hostellers (30.5%) .All the students had mobile phones .a higher percentage of students were using percentage of students were using it for 2-5 years (43.9%) .Half of them were using it for receiving incoming calls (50.3%) than sending SMSs (35.3%) and making outgoing calls (14.4%) .About 16 % of students were using mobiles on silent mode than those with switched off (20.3%) and ringing (1.1%).As soon as lecture was over 39.0% had habit of checking mobile for SMS or missed call. And 40.6% immediately reply back to SMS/Missed call on receiving .All had habit of checking his/her mobile from time to time for any massage or missed call. For 24 hours a day, 15.5% were keeping mobile along with them. Most of the students spent rs.100-250 /- every month on mobile recharge in comparison to those spending Rs<100/- (36.4%), Rs250-500/- (17.1%) and Rs>500 (4.3%).Majority of them were using mobile for internet for internet surfing /chatting (95.2%).Many of them upgraded software 1-2 times in a year on mobile (47.1%) than ,<1 year (41.2%) and >2 years (11.8%) . majority (80.7%) were doing long duration call daily (>30 minutes) .most of them did not changing SIM card was either economic (93.0%) or better service provider (7.0%) .12.8 % of the students changed dialer tune frequently .many admitted that mobile usage was hampering their studies (59.9%) .also 57.8% felt difference in academic performance before and after they started using mobiles phone .A higer proportion of students knew how to drive vehicle (69.5%) and 14.3% were using mobile while driving too. According to second objective ,about one-fourths (25.1%) of the nursing students had moderate level of mobile dependency as compared to mild (64.7%) mobile dependent .no one was found in servere level of mobile dependency (figure1).
Table 1: scores of mobile dependency among nursing students
| Level of mobile
Dependency |
N(%) | Mean ±SD |
| Normal (0-20)
Mild (21-49) Moderate (50-79) Severe (>79) |
19(10.2)
121(64.7) 47(25.1) – |
15.42±2.9
34.96±7.8 57.43±5.9 – |
As per the association of mobile dependency was significant with age and the students ’ class in which they were studing at 0.05 and 0.001 level of significance respectively .
Table 2 and 3 indicates that out of 192 subjects ,two third of the subjects had never (34.2%) and rarely (31.6%) been warned about using mobile phone too much. one third of subjects did not put limit on their mobile phone use (29.9%) .more than three-fourths (75.4%) of
Table2: nursing students’ responses in mobile dependency questionnaire
| S.No | Item | RESPONSE | ||||
| Never | Rarely | Sometimes | Often | frequently | ||
| 1. | I have been called on the carpet or warned about using my mobile phone too much | 64(34.2) | 59(31.6) | 55(29.4) | 7(3.7) | 2(1.1) |
| 2 | I have put a limit on my mobile phone use and I couldn’t stick to it. | 56(29.9) | 33(17.6) | 54(28.9) | 36 (19.3) | 8(4.3) |
| 3 | I have argued with my parents or family members about the cost of my mobile phone. | 141 (75.4) | 18(9.6) | 18(9.6) | 6(3.2) | 4(2.1) |
| 4 | I spend more time than I would like to talking on the mobile phone, sending SMSs ,or using what app. | 35(18.7) | 37(19.8) | 74 (39.6) | 27(14.4) | 13(7.0) |
| 5 | I have sent more than five messages in one day | 29 (15.5) | 17(9.1) | 29(15.5) | 52(27.8) | 60(32.1) |
| 6 | I have gone to bad later or slept less because I was using my mobile phone. | 80(42.8) | 34(18.2) | 39(20.9) | 28(15.0) | 6(3.1) |
| 7 | I spend more money on my mobile phone(calls, messages….)than I had expected | 104(55.6) | 36(19.3) | 26(13.9) | 19(10.2) | 2(1.1) |
| 8 | When I’m bored, I use my mobile phone. | 7(3.7) | 11(5.9) | 50(26.7) | 67(35.8) | 52(27.9) |
| 9 | I use my mobile phone(calls,SMSs,whatsapp..) in situations where,even though not dangerous,it is not appropriate to do so (eating,while other people talk to me,etc). | 58(31.0) | 52(27.8) | 54(28.9) | 19(10.2) | 4(2.1) |
| 10 | I have been criticized because of the cost of my mobile phone. | 131(70.1) | 28(15.0) | 20(10.7) | 5(2.7) | 3(1.5)
|
Subjects had never argued with their parents/family members about the cost of mobile phone.about 39.6% of them spent more time to talk/sending messages than required and even some of the subjects (32.1%) had sent more than 5 messages per day. using mobile oftyen influenced bed time or sleeping hours of 15% subjects.few of the subjects (10.2%) often exceeded spending money on calls and messages on phones than required .usage of mobile phones while eating or talking to other by
Table 3: Nursing Students ’ Responses in Mobile Dependency Questionnaire
| s.no | Item | Complete
Disagree |
Disagree
Somewhat |
Neutral | Agree
Somewhat |
Completely
agree |
|||
| 11. | When I haven’t used my mobile phone for a while ,I feel the need to call someone ,send an SMS ,or use whatapp. | 38(20.3) | 28(15.0) | 38(20.3) | 61(32.6) | 22(11.8) | |||
| 12. | Since I got my mobile phone,I have increased the number of calls I make. | 56(29.9) | 34(18.2) | 39(20.9) | 37(19.8) | 21(11.2) | |||
| 13. | If my mobile phone were broken for an extended period of time and took a long time to fix ,I would feel very bad. | 6(3.2) | 13(7.0) | 36(19.3) | 53(28.3) | 79(42.2) | |||
| 14 | I need to use my mobile phone more and more often | 55(29.4) | 37(19.8) | 46(24.6) | 36(19.3) | 12(6.9) | |||
| 15 | If I don’t have my mobile phone ,I feel bad | 29(15.5) | 27(14.4) | 23(12.3) | 46(24.6) | 62(33.2) | |||
| 16 | When I have my mobile phone with me,I can’t stop using it. | 76(40.6) | 30(16.1) | 31(16.6) | 29(15.5) | 21(11.2) | |||
| 17 | Since I got my mobile phone with me,I can’t stop using it. | 50(26.7) | 21(11.3) | 28(15.0) | 41(21.9) | 47(25.1) | |||
| 18 | As soon as I get up in the morning ,the first thing I do is see who has called me on my mobile phone or if someone has sent me an SMS | 34(18.2) | 26(13.9) | 27(14.40 | 35(18.7) | 65(34.8) | |||
| 19 | I spend more money now on my mobile phone now than when | 69(36.9) | 29(15.5) | 23(12.3) | 40(21.4) | 26(13.9) | |||
| 20 | I don’t think I could stand spending a week without a mobile phone. | 33(17.6) | 35(18.7) | 31(16.6) | 36(19.3) | 52(27.8) | |||
| 21 | When I feel lonely ,I use the mobile phone (calls,SMSs,whatapp…) | 11(5.9) | 8(4.3) | 16(8.6) | 56(29.9) | 96(51.3) | |||
| 22 | I would grab my mobile phone and send a message or make a call right now. | 63(33.7) | 49(26.2) | 32(17.1) | 26(13.9) | 17(9.1) | |||
Half was shown either as rarely (27.8%) or sometimes (28.9%) .10.7% were criticized sometimes (28.9%) .10.7%were criticized sometimes due to phone’s cost. About 44.4% felt the need to connect someone when had not used mobile phone for a while.aroud 31% of the subjects agreed in increasing the number of calls after getting it.also 70.5% felt very bad in case mobile phone was broken for an extended period of time.three –fourths of the subjects (26.2%) need to use mobile phone again and again .33.2% were completely agreed to feel bad if had no mobile phone than those somewhat agreed (24.6%) ,completely disagree (15.5%) ,somewhat disagree (14.4%) and neutral (12.3%). Many of the subjects (26.8%) could not stop using phone when had.also the increase in number of sending messages was told by 25.1% and 21.9% as completely agree and somewhat agree respectively .34.8% indulged inlooking into the calls/messages by someone as got up in the very morning in bed. The subjects (13.9%) were completely agreed to spend more money on mobile phone than previous.the subjects(27.8%0 could not stand spending a week without the phone .more than half (51.3%) used mobile phone when lonely. At the time of filling this tool,23.0% felt that they would grab their phone to make a call/message within no time.
Discussion
The present study showed that nursing students were at risk of developing mobile dependency .A
Study conducted by market analysis and consumer research organization (MACRO) in Mumbai to study the various patterns and association of mobile phone usage reported that 58% of the respondents could not manage without a mobile phone even for a day.7 the present observations in this study were from a small group of students only, which may not reflect the scenario world wide sine millions of cellular mobile subscribers were added every month indicating that full blown nomophobia had all the possibilities to reach to the epidemic scale. In reality these results gave an alarming indication that as days goes by the youth is getting more depedent on mobile phones,which may lead to serious psychiatric and psychological problem among the users.8 to avoid the stress induced because of malfunctioning of mobile phones,people using it should carry a charger all the time,prepaid phone card to make emergency call in case their mobile is not functioning , credit balance in their mobile,should supply family members and friends alternate contact number and store important phone numbers somewhere else as backup in the case they lose their mobile phone.9 people should assess their addiction with mobile phone(nomophobia status) with the help reduce the anxiety levels because of mobile phone addiction will constitute a challenge to mental health professionals because it is a socially –tolerated classroom sessions can be arranged in colleges to curb excessive use of mobiles .nursing students need to be restricted on using mobile phones in classrooms & clinical areas.in other words cell phone use should be limited to certain times of the day.parents should monitor and check on children’s mobile usage .
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