Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

Association between overuse of mobile phones on quality of sleep and general health among occupational health and safety students epidem.

By: Eyvazlou M, Zarei E, Rahimi A, Abazari M
Published in: Chronobiol Int 2016; 33 (3): 293-300
Download citation in RIS format

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran to investigate the association between the excessive use of mobile phones and the quality of sleep and general health among students.

Further details

The students filled in questionnaires to assess sleep quality (Pittsburgh's Sleep Quality Index) and health conditions (General Health Questionnaire).
Exposure was assessed by Cell Phone Overuse Scale. (Remark EMF-Portal: Details of the questionnaire are missing and the classification into low use, medium use and overuse is not given. It is unclear whether the behavior with mobile phones or the exposure to electromagnetic fields were investigated in the study.)

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Group 1 low mobile phone use
Group 2 medium mobile phone use
Group 3 mobile phone overuse

Population

Study size

Type Value
Eligible 470
Evaluable 450
Statistical analysis method:

Results (acc. to author)

Half of the students reported a poor level of sleep quality and 68% of them reported an unhealthy general health status. Overall, 21 out of 450 students (4,6%) were overusers of mobile phones.
An association between the excessive use of mobile phones and the total score and the four subscales of general health (somatic symptoms, social dysfunction, anxiety, and severe depression) and the quality of sleep was observed. Furthermore, the quality of sleep has a simultaneous effect on each of the four scales of the general health.

Study funded by

Related articles