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Abstract

The rising digital dependency among healthcare workers (HCWs) poses an emerging occupational threat that merits urgent attention. The study titled “Nomophobia and Smartphone Addiction: Prevalence and Correlation among Healthcare Workers in a Karachi Tertiary Care Setting” addresses a critical yet underexplored concern—how reliance on smartphones may be impairing healthcare performance and psychological well-being. With 79.5% of participants exhibiting severe nomophobia and 43.9% classified as severely addicted to smartphones, the findings present a compelling case for action [1].
Globally, this issue is not isolated. A systematic review reported nomophobia prevalence as high as 68.15% among nurses, indicating a broader healthcare trend beyond regional boundaries [2]. Particularly vulnerable are younger healthcare workers—those under 30—who, in this study and others, were significantly more prone to severe nomophobia [3]. This is more than a statistical anomaly; it signals a systemic behavioral shift that could compromise clinical decision-making and patient safety [4].
This descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi between December 2023 and March 2024, enrolled 171 HCWs—including doctors, nurses, and OT technicians—using convenience sampling. Validated assessment tools, the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) and the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), demonstrated high internal consistency (α > 0.9). Demographic variables, including age, gender, and profession, were collected and analyzed using SPSS, with significance set at p < 0.05. Self-reporting bias was mitigated through the use of specific, standardized instruments.
Participants had a mean age of 33.7 ± 4.3 years; 80.1% were aged 30 or above, and 19.9% were younger than 30. The cohort was predominantly male (63.2%). Professionally, registered nurses formed the largest group (40.9%), followed by OT technicians (17.5%), cardiac perfusionists and cardiac surgeons (11.7% each), anesthetist doctors (9.4%), and anesthesia technicians (8.8%). All participants owned smartphones, with an average screen time of 7.4 ± 1.1 hours per day—highlighting extensive digital exposure. Notably, nearly half the participants reported daily use of 7–8 hours, and 2.3% reported usage as high as 10 hours.
Mean NMP-Q and SAS-SV scores were 115.5 ± 15.6 and 46.4 ± 7.5, respectively. Alarmingly, none of the participants fell into the mild or absent nomophobia categories; 79.5% had severe, and 20.5% moderate nomophobia. Similarly, 43.9% had severe smartphone addiction, 51.5% moderate, and only 4.7% mild. A strong positive correlation between screen time and both nomophobia and addiction scores underscores the bidirectional nature of this dependency loop.
Age and profession emerged as significant variables. All participants under 30 were classified as having severe nomophobia. The moderate nomophobia group had a mean age of 37.3 years, while the severe group averaged 32.8 years. Registered nurses, OT technicians, cardiac perfusionists, and anesthesia technicians were predominantly in the severe nomophobia group; in contrast, cardiac surgeons and anesthetist doctors showed milder symptoms. Screen time was notably higher among those with severe nomophobia (7.6 vs. 6.7 hours), as were SAS-SV scores (49.5 vs. 34.3).
Stratification by addiction severity mirrored these trends. Younger participants were significantly more likely to be in the severe addiction group, though no gender differences were observed. Cardiac perfusionists and anesthesia technicians were overrepresented among the severely addicted, while cardiac surgeons and anesthetist doctors were largely in the moderate group. Again, screen time and nomophobia scores increased consistently with addiction severity.
The implications are profound. Excessive smartphone use is more than a lifestyle concern—it may impact workplace focus, elevate stress, and impair clinical functioning. Prior studies corroborate these risks. For example, higher nomophobia among nurses has been linked to impaired decision-making and reduced patient care efficacy [5]. Globally, young digital natives are especially susceptible: in Greece, nearly all participants aged 18–25 reported some level of nomophobia, with 57% experiencing moderate symptoms. In Saudi Arabia and Jordan, individuals under 30 were similarly more prone to mobile phone dependence [6].
The high prevalence of digital dependency among OT personnel and anesthesia staff may reflect the unique operational demands or downtime within these roles, but this also raises the question of whether other critical specialties—such as ER and internal medicine—would show similar or more severe patterns if studied. Broader inclusion of medical domains would yield a more comprehensive understanding of occupational risk.
Furthermore, the relationship between screen time and nomophobia appears cyclic: increased use leads to greater anxiety in the absence of the device, which in turn fuels more usage. Left unchecked, this cycle may exacerbate mental health issues such as anxiety, fatigue, and burnout. A cross-sectional study of 367 medical undergraduates in India found each additional hour of screen time increased the likelihood of moderate-to-severe nomophobia (AOR = 1.103, 95% CI: 1.016–1.23) [7].
Healthcare organizations must now confront smartphone overuse not as a personal failing but as a systemic challenge. Strategic responses—ranging from digital hygiene policies and targeted awareness campaigns to counseling services and stress management workshops—must be embedded within occupational health frameworks. This study should be regarded as a sentinel warning: the smartphone, while indispensable in modern medicine, has become a double-edged sword. Proactive interventions are no longer optional; they are essential to safeguarding both caregiver well-being and patient care quality.
References

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Rao R, Verma M, Singh CM, Nirala SK, Naik BN. Internet addiction and nomophobia among medical undergraduates of a tertiary care teaching institute in Patna, Eastern India. J Educ Health Promot. 2023;12:286. DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1663_22