Cell Phone Use Research Articles

Sociodemographic, occupational, and personal factors associated with sleep quality among Chinese medical staff: A web-based cross-sectional study.

Sleep quality among medical staff affects not only their own health but also the health of their patients. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic, occupational, and personal factors associated with sleep quality among medical staff in mainland China. An online survey was conducted from January 10 to February 5, 2019, involving 3,684 medical staff (female: 84.9%; mean age: 31.6 ± 7.7; age range: 18-72). Sleep quality was measured by the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (C-PSQI). Sociodemographic, occupational characteristics, and personal lifestyle factors were measured by standard questions. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the factors associated with sleep quality. 57.9% (95% CI: 56.3-59.5%) of the study population experienced poor sleep quality (C-PSQI > 5). Binary logistic regression showed that poor sleep quality were associated with lower level of education, higher level of hospital care, longer weekly working hours, more than 30 min of cell phone use at bedtime, shift work (OR 1.33, 95% CI[1.12-1.58], P = 0.001), lack of regular naps (OR 1.46, 95% CI[1.26-1.69], P < 0.001) and lack of routine exercise (OR 1.69, 95% CI[1.46-1.97], P < 0.001). Poor sleep quality is highly prevalent among medical staff in mainland China. The findings indicate that appropriate strategies, such as implementing regular breaks, regulating overtime work and vacation interruptions, as well as developing exercise programs, relaxation training, and stress-management programs could help improve the sleep quality of medical staff.

DEVELOPING AND TESTING THE FEASIBILITY OF A TEXT MESSAGE DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT INTERVENTION FOR LATINOS

Abstract Latinos experience several disparities in dementia including poor caregiver mental health and caregiving support access. Latinos’ ubiquitous cell phone ownership and use of text messaging may offset those disparities. During this session, we will describe the development and feasibility testing findings of CuidaTEXT. CuidaTEXT is a tailored Short Messaging Service-based text message intervention to support Latino dementia family caregivers. This intervention was developed using mixed-methods research. This research resulted in a bilingual six-month intervention with automatic daily messages for all participants that address dementia education, self-care, social support, end-of-life, care of the person with dementia, behavioral symptoms, and problem-solving strategies. Participants who need more in-depth support, can use two functions: 1) every time they send a keyword-driven message (e.g., STRESS), they will receive an automatic message to support them with that topic, 2) for any other message they send (live chat), a coach will respond to their specific needs.

Improvement of the public transport system in Novi Sad by applying the journey planning app – project TRIBUTE

A well-organized public transport system, which includes, among others, the provision of quality information to users, is one of the key factors in the creation of a sustainable transport system. Residents' everyday needs mainly include the use of cell phones, so their use in the context of the information system in public transport via a smart phone application is a practical way to make this mode of transport "at hand" of users. This paper outlines the activities on improving the public transit system in the city of Novi Sad carried out through the TRIBUTE project - inTegRated and Innovative actions for sustainaBle Urban mobiliTy upgradE. Improvements to the public transport system have been achieved through the mobile app and its integration with the taxi and bike-sharing system, and information displays on bus stops.

The point prevalence and factors associated with neck pain

Background: Neck pain is a significant disabling condition. Prevalence of neck pain is still not clearly stated in the literature due to the variation of its definition. It has a unique number of risk factors like history of neck pain, trauma, and certain sports injuries. In this study we measured the point prevalence of neck pain and the factors associated with it.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included a total of 461 participants. The collected data comprised participant characteristics: demographic, socioeconomical status, and nature of work. The Arabic Neck Disability Index was used to assess neck pain. Specific questions about possible associated factors were asked, such as duration of using electronics, type of posture, duration of reading.&#x0D; Results: The neck pain was stated by 64.6% of the study participants. The results demonstrated that participants who reported neck pain were mostly females (70.5%), single (56.6%), or had high educational level (70.2%). Slight infrequent headaches were the most significant Neck Disability Index indicator in 39.5% of the study participants.&#x0D; Conclusion: The prevalence of neck pain was 64.6%, of which, mostly were females. Body postures, reading hours, work-type, and self-rated use of cellphones and PCs were all significantly associated with neck pain. Moreover, headache, concentration, and working habits were the top most significant indicators of the NDI. However, headache was the most significant.

Text Neck Syndrome: Disentangling a New Epidemic.

The aim of this report is to provide a brief review of the predisposing factors for Text Neck Syndrome, along with diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in young and adult populations. Text neck pain is a worldwide public health problem, largely reported nowadays. Currently, data have shown that the erroneous use of personal computers and cell phones might be correlated with the development of various clinical symptoms that are defined as "text neck syndrome". Modified radical changes in everyday life may ameliorate the powerful forces on the cervical spine that can lead to cervical degeneration, along with other developmental, medical, psychological, and social complications that are attributed to text neck syndrome. CONCLUSION: New technologies and the potentially harmful addiction to cell phones and computers while reading or texting are inducing an epidemic of text neck syndrome. By focusing on postural correction, both pain alleviation and a better quality of life can be achieved for the patient. The predisposing factors and therapeutic approaches for this syndrome that affects public health remain to be further elucidated.

Culture of Digital Literacy in Thematic Learning at the Basic Education Level

Learning during the pandemic hasn’t optimally, literacy has decreased so it is necessary to cultivate digital literacy. This study aims to analyse the cultivation of digital literacy and its supporting and inhibiting factors. This research includes qualitative research with a descriptive type. The subjects of the study were teachers, students and principals. Data collection techniques are interviews, observations, and documentation, instruments in the form of interview guidelines, observation sheets and documents. Test validity of the data using source triangulation techniques. Research data analysis is interactive analysis. The results showed that the cultivation of digital literacy can be through activities: 1) digital-based learning, 2) introduction to use of laptops, 3) education on the wise use of cellphones. The cultivation of digital literacy is influenced by several supporting factors, namely: availability of infrastructure, commitment of school residents to increase digital field, the inhibiting factors are the competence of educators, students and parents are low in the digital literacy, there isn‘t internet at home, the focus of teachers in digital literacy is lacking due many tasks, lack of infrastructure. So the cultivation of digital literacy in thematic learning in elementary schools needs to be improved in terms of infrastructure, competence of educators and students.

Penggunaan Handphone dan Dampaknya bagi Aktivitas Belajar

The rapid advancement of information and communication technology affects every aspect of human life. The field of education is no exception. For communication purposes, cellphones can have positive and negative effects on student learning activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using mobile phones on the learning activities of junior high school students in Jakarta. This study uses a qualitative method. An interview study was used to explore the impact of cell phone use on ten students. This study produces data that the use of mobile phones affects student learning activities in high school. From 10 respondents, it can be assumed that the use of mobile phones with an average duration of 2 hours greatly affects student learning activities. But cell phones also have a bad impact. Among them, it interferes with eye health, makes students forget time to study, and sees pictures that are inappropriate for students to see. The fact states that 100 percent of students are dependent on cellphones.

Longitudinal correlation between cell phone use and sleep quality in college students

Objective: To investigate the current situation of cell phone use and sleep quality among college students, establish a sleep quality trajectory model and explore the influence of cell phone use on the sleep quality trajectory. Methods: Based on data from the College Student Behavior and Health Cohort Study 2019-2020, a latent class growth modeling was used to establish a sleep quality trajectory model among college students. The baseline influencing factors of sleep quality trajectories among college students were analyzed by χ2 test, and the effects of cell phone use on sleep quality trajectories were analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results: A total of 1 092 college students were included in the analysis. The detection rates of cell phone use and poor sleep quality were 24.5% and 13.3%. Latent class growth model identified two groups of sleep quality trend trajactories: an improved sleep quality group (86.0%) and a decreased sleep quality group (14.0%). The result of binary logistic regression showed that the cell phone use was a risk factor of sleep quality trajectories. Conclusion: The cell phone use during college period could increase the risk of poor sleep quality. Targeted intervention measures about cell phone use should be adopted to improve the sleep quality among college students.

PSIKOEDUKASI PENCEGAHAN ADIKSI TELEPON SELULER PADA REMAJA DI SEKITAR RPTRA MARDANI ASRI CEMPAKA PUTIH JAKARTA PUSAT

The tendency of using cell phones among Z generation is quite high. If it isn’t managed properly, it will cause negative impact such as behavioral disorders related to cell phone use, emotional disturbances, and so on. Based on the needs analysis conducted previously through surveys, interviews, and observations, in order to prevent addiction to cell phone use in adolescents, YARSI University community service team conducted psychoeducation for adolescents living around RPTRA Mardani Asri, Central Jakarta. The participants were pre-teenagers, teenagers, and also members of the Bina Keluarga Remaja in Cempaka Putih Barat, Central Jakarta. Psychoeducational material is delivered through lectures, discussions, questions and answers, and educational video screenings. Evaluation of activities is carried out by comparing the mean of pre-test and post-test scores, as well as observing participants during the implementation of activities. The results of the data analysis showed that this psychoeducational activity was quite successful in increasing participants' understanding. In addition, the participants enthusiastically participated in this activity.

Investigate the relationship between cell-phone over-use scale with depression, anxiety and stress among university students

BackgroundCell phones have increased dramatically as a new communication technology in the modern world. This study aimed to determine the relationship between cell phone over use scale with depression, anxiety and stress among university students in Khorramabad, Iran.MethodsIn this descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study, 212 students were randomly selected from the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences by a combination of stratified and clustered random sampling. Data were collected by two standard questionnaires including, Cell-phone Over-use Scale (COS) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS-21) and were analyzed using SPSS V.22.ResultsBased on the results, 72.2% of the students were exclusively male, which a majority of them were in age of 21–23 years (46.2%), and 92.5% were single. Based on the multiple linear regression and after adjustment for the confounding effect, there was a significant relationship between cell phone over use scale on student’s stress (t = 2.614, P = 0.010), and student’s anxiety (t = 2.209, P = 0.028); however there was not a significant relationship between cell phone over use scale on student’s depression (t = 1.790, P = 0.075).ConclusionsHarmful use of cell phones can aggravate psychological disorders such as anxiety, stress and depression and by controlling this factor can increase the level of mental health and improve the quality of life in students.Trial registrationLorestan University of Medical Sciences. ID: IR.LUMS.REC.1397-1-99-1253.

Digital Connectedness in the Jackson Heart Study: Cross-sectional Study.

Although new approaches for data collection, such as mobile technology and teleresearch, have demonstrated new opportunities for the conduct of more timely and less costly surveys in community-based studies, literature on the feasibility of conducing cardiovascular disease research using mobile health (mHealth) platforms among middle-aged and older African Americans has been limited. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the knowledge regarding the penetrance of internet and mobile technologies, such as cellphones or smartphones in existing large cohort studies of cardiovascular disease. A digital connectedness survey was conducted in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), a Mississippi-based African American cohort study, as part of the annual follow-up calls with participants from July 2017 to February 2019. Of the 4024 participants contacted, 2564 (63.7%) completed the survey. Among survey respondents, 2262 (88.2%) reported use of internet or cellphone, and 1593 (62.1%) had a smartphone. Compared to nonusers (n=302), internet or cellphone users (n=2262) were younger (mean age 80.1, SD 8.0 vs 68.2, SD 11.3 years), more likely to be affluent (n=778, 40.1% vs n=39, 15.4%), and had greater than high school education (n=1636, 72.5% vs n=85, 28.1%). Internet or cellphone users were less likely to have cardiovascular disease history compared to nonusers (136/2262, 6.6% vs 41/302, 15.8%). The prevalence of current smoking and average BMI were similar between internet or cellphone users and nonusers. Among internet or cellphone users, 1316 (58.3%) reported use of email, 504 (22.3%) reported use of apps to track or manage health, and 1269 (56.1%) expressed interest in using JHS-developed apps. Our findings suggest that it is feasible to use mHealth technologies to collect survey data among African Americans already enrolled in a longitudinal study. Our findings also highlight the need for more efforts to reduce the age and education divide in access and use of internet and smartphones for tracking health and research in African American communities.

Barriers to Enforcing Laws and Support for Restricting Cell Phone Use While Driving among Law Enforcement Officers

Cell phone use while driving (CUWD) is an underreported contributor to crashes in the U.S.A. Although research indicates that the public is at least somewhat aware of its risks, law enforcement officers’ beliefs have been understudied. Officers’ attitudes are important for the following reasons: they influence citation rates; enforcement of the law is necessary to change driver behavior; and officers have experience and knowledge with respect to CUWD that the public may not. Ohio law enforcement officers ( N = 1,549) were recruited via convenience samples from multiple agencies in May 2019. We were primarily interested in officers’ support for legislative strategies and their perceptions of barriers to enforcing the law. We also assessed how they prioritized the enforcement of laws restricting CUWD relative to common automobile offenses, the level of risk they assigned to CUWD, and their estimation of CUWD frequency among Ohio drivers. We found that officers supported stronger enforcement of laws restricting CUWD (i.e., preferring primary to secondary enforcement) and viewed CUWD as risky and prevalent. Officers frequently cited secondary enforcement as an obstacle to enforcing laws restricting CUWD. Officers were less supportive of secondary enforcement in relation to CUWD because it is a less-effective version of regulation; their support for secondary enforcement was even lower if they supported primary enforcement. Drivers and policymakers may need to be educated about the problems secondary enforcement poses for law enforcement and be made aware that officers support stronger enforcement, including primary methods.

Time-Varying Risk Aversion? Evidence from Near-Miss Accidents

Abstract We present evidence consistent with time-varying risk preferences among automobile drivers. Exploiting a unique data set of agents' high-frequency driving behavior collected by a mobile phone application, we show that drivers drive more conservatively following near-miss accidents. In a preferred specification, a near-miss triggers a reduction in driving distance of 12.98 kilometers, in-car cell phone use by more than 100%, and highway use by 43.24%. Structural estimation results indicate that such changes in behavior are consistent with an increase in risk aversion of 10.54% to 43.77% and a reduction in annual insurance cost amounting to 2.04% to 3.31% of the average car insurance premium.

The impact of Illinois’ comprehensive handheld phone ban on talking on handheld and handsfree cellphones while driving

Introduction: Distracted driving has been linked to multiple driving decrements and is responsible for thousands of motor-vehicle fatalities annually. Most U.S. states have enacted restrictions on cellphone use while driving, the strictest of which prohibit any manual operation of a cellphone while driving. Illinois enacted such a law in 2014. To better understand how this law affected cellphone behaviors while driving, associations between Illinois’ handheld phone ban and self-reported talking on handheld, handsfree, and any cellphone (handheld or handsfree) while driving were estimated. Methods: Data from annual administrations of the Traffic Safety Culture Index from 2012–2017 in Illinois and a set of control states were leveraged. The data were cast into a difference-in-differences (DID) modeling framework, which compared Illinois to control states in terms of pre- to post-intervention changes in the proportion of drivers who self-reported the three outcomes. Separate models for each outcome were fit, and additional models were fit to the subset of drivers who talk on cellphones while driving. Results: In Illinois, the pre- to post-intervention decrease in the drivers’ probability of self-reporting talking on a handheld phone was significantly more extreme than that of drivers in control states (DID estimate −0.22; 95% CI −0.31, −0.13). Among drivers who talk on cellphones while driving, those in Illinois exhibited a more extreme increase in the probability of talking on a handsfree phone while driving than those control states (DID estimate 0.13; 95% CI 0.03, 0.23). Conclusions: These results suggest that Illinois’ handheld phone ban reduced talking on handheld phones while driving among study participants. They also corroborate the hypothesis that the ban promoted substitution from handheld to handsfree phones among drivers who talk on the phone while driving. Practical Applications: These findings should encourage other states to enact comprehensive handheld phone bans to improve traffic safety.

Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by Modern Cellphones on Sperm Motility and Viability: An In Vitro Study

BackgroundCellphones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) for transmission of data for social media communication, web browsing, and music/podcast streaming. Use of Bluetooth ear buds has probably prolonged the time during which cellphones reside in the trouser pockets of men. It has been postulated that RF-EMR increases oxidative stress and induces free radical formation. ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of wireless-spectrum (4G, 5G, and WiFi) RF-EMR emitted by modern smartphones on sperm motility and viability and explore whether these effects can be mitigated using a physical barrier or distance. Design, setting, and participantsSemen samples were obtained from fertile normozoospermic men aged 25–35 yr. A current-generation smartphone in talk mode was used as the RF-EMR source. A WhatsApp voice call was made using either 4G, 5G, or WiFi wireless connectivity. We determined if exposure effects were mitigated by either a cellphone case or greater distance from the semen sample. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisThe semen samples were analyzed according to 2010 World Health Organization laboratory guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.28. Results and limitationsWe observed decreases in sperm motility and viability with WiFi exposure but not with exposure to 4G or 5G RF-EMR. With large variability among smartphones, continued research on exposure effects is needed. ConclusionsOur exploratory study revealed that sperm motility and viability are negatively impacted by smartphones that use the WiFi spectrum for data transmission. Patient summaryWe looked at the effect of cellphone use on sperm motility and viability. We found that cellphones using WiFi connectivity for data usage have harmful effects on semen quality in men.

Impact of an intervention on the surface of cellular telephones in a hospital in Salta

Introduction: Cell phones, especially those used by healthcare personnel, have high levels of bacterial contamination, including multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogens, posing a significant risk of disease transmission in hospital and community settings. Studies reveal that these often uncleaned and widely used devices can be a major source of cross-infection. Methods: In this observational, quasi-experimental epidemiological study, we analyzed bacterial contamination on cell phones of healthcare personnel (N=80) in three stages: pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention. An educational strategy, monitoring of cleanliness, hand hygiene and use of glass bottles was implemented, and the results of the swabs before and after the intervention, carried out between March and April 2022, were compared. Results: The study analyzed the presence of germs in cell phones of health personnel in two phases, obtaining a total of 240 samples. A high prevalence of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed in the screens and cases, and cleaning and disinfection strategies were implemented that achieved an improvement of more than 90% in the reduction of germs, demonstrating that cell phones can be controllable sources of infection with appropriate measures. Conclusion: The intervention was successful, highlighting the importance of improving hygiene, cleanliness and safety culture in the use of cell phones by healthcare personnel.

Computer visual syndrome in university students in times of pandemic

IntroductionOne of the consequences of prolonged use of bright screens such as those of the computer or cell phone, is the computer visual syndrome where characteristic symptoms are presented that normally disappear after a couple of hours when you stop using electronic devices. The prevalence is high due to multiple risk factors. ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of computer vision syndrome in medical students at the University of Boyacá in times of pandemic. MethodologyDescriptive and cross-sectional observational study. The study population were medical students, the data were collected in September and October of the year, an electronic survey was carried out for data collection. ResultsA total of 300 participants were invited to participate in the study. 78% (234) of participating students suffer from SVI. 67.09% (157) of the participants who reported suffering from SVI were female and 32.91% (77) were male. ConclusionsComputer visual syndrome is very common among medical students at the University of Boyacá. This study has shown that the presence of SVI has been significantly associated with exposure factors that were triggered during the pandemic period, where frequent virtual classes and long hours led to high exposure to screens. In addition, in the era of virtuality, communication through social networks increased the use of cell phones, which increases the possibility of the appearance of this syndrome.

Validation of the illustrated questionnaire on eating and sedentary behaviors (QUICAS) for seven to ten-year-old children

The Illustrated Questionnaire on Eating and Sedentary Behaviors (QUICAS) was developed and validated for schoolchildren seven to ten years old. It used previous day recall and was illustrated with ten eating behaviors (referring to the act of eating without distractions, with company, on a regular basis, the type of food eaten, and participation in tasks involved in meal preparation) and five sedentary behaviors (related to the use of television, computer, tablet, cell phone, and video game). The instrument was validated in four stages: (1) Its content was developed based on literature review and expert evaluation; (2) Items were validated by comparing the responses of children and their parents, through a questionnaire on Google Forms. At this stage, a convenience sample was adopted, consisting of 145 parent-child dyads. High sensitivity (average of 90.7%); high specificity (mean of 87.9%); low number of false positives (mean of 12.1%); low number of false negatives (mean of 9.3%); almost perfect agreement between the child's and the parent's reports (k = 0.81); and low disagreement (≤22%) were found. In addition, the child's gender and age did not significantly influence the child's report. (3) The illustrations were validated in a focus group with 18 children, who satisfactorily described all the eating and sedentary behaviors of the illustrations. (4) In the pretest of the questionnaire on Google Forms, with the participation of 15 children, the majority (86.7%) judged the questionnaire as excellent or good. Therefore, the QUICAS is valid to assess eating and sedentary behaviors in schoolchildren seven to ten years old.

Driving distraction at night: The impact of cell phone use on driving behaviors among young drivers

Currently, young drivers are more likely than other drivers to use cell phones while driving at night, which has become a major cause of road crashes. However, limited attention has been given to distracted nighttime driving. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the interaction effect of cell phone use and time of day (daytime and nighttime) on young drivers’ car-following performance. Forty-three young drivers engaged in a driving simulator experiment with a within-subject design that included three distractions (no distraction, talking and texting on a cell phone) and two times of day. This paper applied non-parametrictests to analyze the data and obtained the following results: (1) the standard deviation of lane position (SDLP) did not significantly differ at either time of day under no distraction, but it was significantly higher at night on straight roads and large-radius curves after introducing distractions. In addition, participants drove faster and gave less headway on small-radius curves under both distractions at night; (2) texting significantly increased the SDLP, while there was less lateral variation during the talking tasks than under no distraction on simple road sections; and (3) compared with the experienced drivers, the novice drivers drove faster during the talking tasks on small-radius curves, but there was no significant difference between groups during the texting tasks. These findings provide both theoretical and practical implications for related policy makers to enhance traffic safety.

Perception Medical Faculty Regarding Students' Classroom Incivilities and Coping Strategie

Objectives: To explore perception of medical faculty regarding students' classroom incivilities and coping strategies. &#x0D; Study Design: Cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Place and study duration: Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Medical College, Sialkot, Pakistan from January to April 2020. &#x0D; Methodology: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect responses from the faculty. The study was carried out on 125 participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.&#x0D; Results: Of 125 faculties 67(53.6%) were males. Junior faculty members were 80(64.0%). Irritating remarks (89.0%), cellphone use and cheating in the exam (87.0%) were the most common incivilities and reluctance to answer questions (40.0%) was the least common. Being friendly/respectful to students, passionate, establishing clear rules, starting class on time, using eye contact and variable students' engaging activities, encouraging students to self-evaluate their behaviour and welcoming their suggestions were supported by &gt;90% of the faculty. However, humiliating remarks to correct the students' incivility was unanimously rejected. In comparison, the use of cell phones, irritating remarks, whispering, talking out of turn, arriving late in class, cheating in exams and leaving the cell phone bell "on" equally bother most junior and senior faculty. Overall, the female junior teachers from basic subjects with experience &lt;10 years were significantly (p &lt;0.05) more sensitive to incivilities.&#x0D; Conclusion: The most common incivilities were irritating remarks/gestures, cell phone use and cheating in examination. Teaching with passion/enthusiasm was the most favourite coping strategy. However, humiliating remarks to correct the incivility was strongly rejected. Junior, female, less experienced demonstrators from basic disciplines were more vulnerable to rude behaviour.