Mobile Phone Research Articles

Under the Microscope: Media and Mobile Phone Use among Children and Young People in Portugal

Media consumption is heavily influenced by mobile phones and the Internet, especially among younger audiences. Although many studies have demonstrated this, it is essential to continually examine how children's and young people’s relationships with media evolve and affect their lives amid rapid changes in the media ecosystem. Based on an online questionnaire conducted in 26 schools with 1,131 students aged 11 to 19 across Portugal, this study aims to closely examine media usage, particularly mobile phones. By analyzing variables such as school year (corresponding with age) and gender, the research explores mobile phone usage in relation to other media and examines how participants classify themselves as mobile phone users. Findings reveal that children and youth are highly engaged with media, with the mobile phone as the most important device in their lives. The Internet and social networks also rank among the top three most significant media. Time spent on mobile phones increases with school year, correlating with age, and girls use their mobile phones more than boys. More respondents identify as "intensive" or "dependent" users than "moderate" ones. Interestingly, 6th graders (the youngest group) are the most likely to describe themselves as "dependent users." The level of dependency on mobile phones is highlighted by the fact that more than half of the sample would choose their mobile phone as the one object to bring on a long journey.

Mobile Phones in the Operating Room: A Call for Strict Regulation to Ensure Patient Safety

Mobile Phones in the Operating Room: A Call for Strict Regulation to Ensure Patient Safety

How Dental Students were Reliant upon Mobile Phones? – A Post-COVID Cross-Sectional Self-Concept Questionnaire (SCQ) Survey

How Dental Students were Reliant upon Mobile Phones? – A Post-COVID Cross-Sectional Self-Concept Questionnaire (SCQ) Survey

Epidemiology, patterns, and outcomes of road traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) remain a significant public health concern worldwide, contributing to high morbidity and mortality rates. In Saudi Arabia, RTAs are a leading cause of injuries and fatalities. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological patterns, demographics, crash characteristics, and injury outcomes of RTAs in Saudi Arabia. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines, with a comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using relevant keywords and MeSH terms. Observational studies reporting data on RTAs in Saudi Arabia were included. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using a random-effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic and Cochran's Q test. A total of 10 studies were included, representing diverse regions of Saudi Arabia and involving 154,165 participants. Male predominance was consistent across studies, with males comprising 59.1% to 91% of participants. Younger males (20–35 years) were disproportionately affected, often engaging in high-risk behaviors such as speeding and mobile phone use. Head and neck injuries were the most common (50%–63%), followed by chest and abdominal injuries. Urban areas accounted for the majority of accidents (63%–68.6%). Pooled prevalence estimates revealed substantial heterogeneity across studies (I² > 90%). RTAs in Saudi Arabia predominantly affect young males and are frequently associated with high-risk behaviors and urbanization. While safety measures have mitigated some outcomes, targeted interventions addressing risky behaviors, traffic enforcement, and emergency care are essential to reduce the burden of RTAs further.

The use of modern e-health services including telemedicine and telepharmacy for remote patient care in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Numerous preventive measures and regulations including electronic health (e-health) services were implemented during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite their importance, very little is known about their use. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the use of e-health application by healthcare providers (HCPs), and assess their awareness, perceptions, and practices of such services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during July to September 2024 using online self-administered questionnaires. Participants were selected using convenient sampling technique supplemented by snowball sampling. The calculated sample size was 218 participants. Data was collected through an online pretested English-language questionnaire. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze data; Chi-square test was used to examine the associations between HCPs’ responses regarding perceived benefits, risks, and needs related to e-health tools. RESULTS: Of the 471 survey participants who started filling out the survey, 64% (n=300) reported using e-health services since coronavirus disease and were included in the final analysis. Female HCPs used e-health applications twice as often as males, and a decline in e-health use was seen with increasing age of participants. Most common purpose for using e-health services were treatment (61%), consultations (60%), and follow up with patient (54%). The most used e-health tools were telephones or cell phones (69.0%) and WhatsApp applications (64.0%) followed by Zoom application (50.0%) and Sehhaty application. Technical problems such as poor internet connection and automatic updates of applications were reported by more than half of the users (52%). Participants reported perceived risks regarding privacy and data protection, and clinical risks associated with using e-health tools. CONCLUSION: HCPs’ positive experiences with e-health services in Saudi Arabia, valued for their cost-effectiveness and efficiency. However, patient misinterpretation, privacy risks, and clinical errors persist. Growing demand underscores the need for more explicit e-health regulations and broader professional involvement to enhance e-health service.

A wearable sensor device based on screen-printed chip with biofuel cell-driven electrochromic display for noninvasive monitoring of glucose concentration

Wearable flexible sensor devices have the characteristics of lightweight and miniaturization. Currently, power supply and detection components limit the portability of wearable flexible sensor devices. Meanwhile, conventional liquid electrolytes are unsuitable for the integration of sensing devices. To address these constraints, wearable biofuel cells and flexible electrochromic displays have been introduced, which can improve integration with other devices, safety, and color-coded display data. Meanwhile, electrode chips prepared through screen printing technology can further improve portability. In this work, a wearable sensor device with screen-printed chips was constructed and used for non-invasive detection of glucose. Agarose gel electrolytes doped with PDA-CNTs were prepared, and the mechanical strength and moisture retention were significantly improved compared with traditional gel electrolytes. Glucose in interstitial fluid was non-invasive extracted to the skin surface using reverse iontophoresis. As a biofuel for wearable biofuel cells, glucose drives self-powered sensor and electrochromic display to produce color change, allowing for visually measurement of glucose levels in body fluids. Accurate detection results can be visualized by reading the RGB value with a cell phone.

Acoustic Characteristics of Voice and Speech in Post-COVID-19.

The aim of this paper was to compare voice and speech characteristics between post-COVID-19 and control subjects. The hypothesis was that acoustic parameters of voice and speech may differentiate subjects infected by COVID-19 from control subjects. Additionally, we expected to observe the persistence of symptoms in women. In total, 134 subjects participated in the study, were selected for convenience and divided into two groups: 70 control subjects and 64 post-COVID-19 subjects, with an average time of 8.7 months after infection. The recordings were made using the SPIRA software (v.1.0.) on cell phones, based on three verbal tasks: sustained production of the vowel/a/, reading a sentence, and producing a rhyme. Acoustic analyses of speech and voice were carried out with the PRAAT software (v.4.3.18), based on the following parameters: total sentence duration, number of pauses, pause duration, f0, f0SD, jitter, shimmer, and harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR). Regarding the acoustic characteristics of speech, there were no differences between the groups or between the sexes. Regarding the acoustic characteristics of voice, jitter, shimmer, and HNR, significant differences between the groups were found. Differences between sexes were observed in the following frequency-related parameters: f0, f0SD, and jitter. Some acoustic characteristics of the patients' voice may show a deteriorated condition even after exacerbation of the disease. These characteristics are compatible with some of the symptoms reported by post-COVID-19 subjects, such as the presence of tension and fatigue. These voice acoustic parameters could be used as biomarkers to screen voice disorders in long-COVID, using artificial intelligence (AI), accelerating the search for diagnosis by specialists.

Discovering Accessible Financial Systems Resources for Emergent Users

The widespread use of mobile phones in Brazil has significantly altered information access and communication, impacting the financial sector as institutions increasingly use mobile apps. However, ensuring accessibility for all users remains challenging, particularly for riverside people who lack exposure to formal education, urban environments, and digital technologies. This study examined the accessibility and communicability barriers this population faces in mobile banking applications, especially in instant payment features. After reviewing best practices and applying the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM), the study developed and tested an instant payment prototype with riverside people in the Amazon region. Interviews and the Communicability Evaluation Method (CEM) were used to measure communication effectiveness and inform design improvements for Pix interfaces. Afterward, a workshop with computing students was conducted, and they showed interest in inclusive systems but needed more practical knowledge. The workshop also highlighted the necessity of providing audio resources, more security, and illustrations and text that are easy to understand in financial conversation systems for emergent users. This research supports digital inclusion by exploring resources to improve accessibility in interactive systems for emergent users.

Implementation outcomes of 1-3-7 focus investigation for malaria in a low transmission setting in Southern Province, Zambia: A mixed methods study.

Eleven countries have been certified as malaria free since 2016, but none of these are in subSaharan Africa where elimination challenges are unique. The 1-3-7 focus investigation approach is an implementation strategy that requires case reporting, case investigation/classification, and focal classification/response to be completed one, three, and seven days, respectively, after index case diagnosis. Real-time short-messaging-service reports are sent at each step to add accountability and data transparency. Reactive case detection is one focal response of the 1-3-7 strategy. China, Thailand, Myanmar, and other countries cite high fidelity to deadlines and broad acceptability of 1-3-7, but this strategy has yet to be widely deployed in Africa. This mixed-methods study evaluated implementation and service outcomes of 1-3-7 focus investigation in a rural area of southern Zambia. Selected outcomes were fidelity, efficiency, feasibility, equity, and acceptability, assessed via program metadata and semi-structured interviews with program personnel. Fidelity was moderate with 61% of cases reported. Focus investigation and reactive case detection completion doubled in areas using 1-3-7, from 20% to 42%. However, reactive case detection, which involved screening community members residing within 140 meter of index cases with a rapid diagnostic test, detected few parasitemic individuals, suggesting this may not be the most efficient day 7 response in this setting. Mobile phone network coverage was a common challenge to feasibility that likely affected reporting rates and fidelity. Thirty-four percent of health-facility diagnosed cases were not eligible for 1-3-7 follow-up. Distance from the health center was a barrier to feasibility and equitable reach of services. Reporting was faster in areas where health workers classified transmission as higher and slower in areas with poor mobile phone network coverage. The strategy was widely accepted. Scale-up should include adherence-focused management strategies, spatially targeted interventions not reliant on RDTs, and complementary surveillance that targets hard-to-reach populations.

Mobile phone data for anticipating displacements: practices, opportunities, and challenges

Mobile phone data for anticipating displacements: practices, opportunities, and challenges

Impact of bedroom light exposure on glucose metabolic markers and the role of circadian-dependent meal timing: A population-based cross-sectional study.

Light at night (LAN) has become a global concern. However, little is known about the effects of bedroom LAN exposure on glucose metabolism markers. We aimed to explore the association between intensity and duration of bedroom LAN exposure with glucose metabolism markers, and the role of circadian-dependent meal timing in these associations. Real-ambient bedroom LAN exposure was measured using a portable illuminance meter for two consecutive days. Seven consecutive days of sleep time and 24-h dietary records were assessed by wrist-worn accelerometer and mobile phone photos, respectively. Circadian-dependent meal timing, including the timing of meal relative to clock time and sleep time, was calculated from 24-h dietary records and sleep data. The mean age of participants was 18.7 years, and 32.8 % were male. Per SD lx increase of bedroom LANavg was associated with 1.75 μU/mL-increase in INS (95 %CI: 0.10, 2.50), 0.61 unit-increase in HOMA-IR (95 %CI: 0.43, 0.79), and 0.09 unit-increase in TyG (95 %CI: 0.04, 0.15); per SD min increase of bedroom LAN3 was associated with 1.61 μU/mL-increase in INS (95 %CI: 0.84, 2.37), 0.48 unit-increase in HOMA-IR (95 %CI: 0.29, 0.67), and 0.07 unit-increase in TyG (95 %CI: 0.01, 0.13). Nevertheless, these associations were found to be significant in later circadian-dependent meal timing group while weaker or not significant in earlier circadian-dependent meal timing group (time of first meal ≤ 9:00, time of last meal ≤ 19:00, first meal - sleep end ≤ 2 h, and sleep onset - last meal ≥ 5 h). Overall, bedroom LAN exposure was associated with impaired glucose metabolism markers among young adults. Importantly, circadian-dependent meal timing may have potentially moderate effects on these associations. Keeping bedroom darkness at night and adhering to early eating pattern may be important public health strategies to reduce the risk of glucose metabolism disorders.

The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender.

Negative emotions (depression and anxiety) are highly correlated with mobile phone addiction among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further exploration. The aim of this study is to further elucidate the relationship between negative emotions and mobile phone addiction among college students, with negative coping styles as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable. A survey was conducted on 509 college students from two universities in Anhui Province, China, covering topics such as mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, and negative coping styles. SPSS software was used to analyze the relationship between variables. Depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, and mobile phone addiction are all significantly positively correlated. Negative coping styles mediate the relationship between depression, anxiety, and mobile phone addiction among college students. Gender regulates the relationship between depression/anxiety and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, the impact of negative emotions (depression and anxiety) on mobile phone addiction is greater in the male group than in the female group. This study further reveals the psychological mechanisms behind the relationship between negative emotions (depression and anxiety) and mobile phone addiction. Negative coping styles are the mediating factor in this relationship, while gender is the moderating factor in this relationship.

Connecting consultants with primary healthcare doctors in remote areas, mountains, and islands through available technology

Telehealth has emerged as a pivotal tool in bridging the gap between consultants and primary healthcare physicians, particularly in remote, mountainous, and island regions. This paper discusses the innovative NARAKOM project, which leverages available technology to facilitate this connection. The project aims to enhance healthcare service delivery, ensure general practitioners’ continuous education, and improve patient outcomes in underserved areas. The project provides the confidentiality and effectiveness of medical consultations by employing mobile phones, phone calls, and the WhatsApp social networking program. Initial implementation in the Jazan region has shown promising results, and the project is poised for expansion across Saudi Arabia.

Possible effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on contextual fear conditioning, hippocampal perivascular space, apoptosis and adrenal gland microarchitecture in rats.

Whilst the world sees the tremendous growth of mobile phone technology, radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) induced possible health effects have emerged as a topic of recent day debate. The current study is designed to test the hypothesis that chronic 900MHz radiation exposure would potentially dysregulate the stress response system (HPA axis) in vivo, via, its non-thermal mechanisms, leading to alterations in the microarchitecture of the adrenal gland, vulnerable brain regions such as the hippocampus which may results in altered behaviours in rats. Male albino Wistar rats aged four weeks, weighing 50-60g were subjected to 900MHz radiation from a cellphone for four weeks at a rate of one hour per day. On the 29th day, animals from the control, sham exposed and RF-EMR exposed groups were tested for contextual fear conditioning. They were later euthanized to study hippocampal and adrenal gland cytoarchitecture. Bright and dark compartment transitions in the avoidance box were considerably elevated in the RF-EMR exposed group and they exhibited a significant decrease in the latency to enter the dark compartment during the contextual fear conditioning test. Apoptosis was apparent in the CA3 region and perivascular space was significantly increased in the hippocampus of the radiation-exposed group. In addition to lymphocytic infiltrates, congested sinusoids, and apoptotic-like changes were evident in the zona fasciculata. However, the cytoarchitecture of the adrenal medulla was comparable in all three groups. Chronic RF-EMR exposure caused changes in contextual fear conditioning, enlargement of hippocampal perivascular space, apparent CA3 apoptosis, and apoptotic-like changes in the zona fasciculate of the adrenal gland in rats.

Vision-based postural balance assessment of sit-to-stand transitions performed by younger and older adults.

The use of inertial measurement units (IMUs) in assessing fall risk is often limited by subject discomfort and challenges in data interpretation. Additionally, there is a scarcity of research on attitude estimation features. To address these issues, we explored novel features and representation methods in the context of sit-to-stand transitions. This study recorded sit-to-stand transition test data from three groups: community-dwelling elderly, elderly in day care centers (DCC), and college students, captured using mobile phone cameras. We employed pose estimation technology to extract key point kinematic features from the video data and used 10-fold cross-validation to train a random forest classifier, mitigating the impact of individual differences. We trained classifiers with the top 5, 10, and 15 features, calculating the average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for each model to compare feature importance. Our results indicated that elbow key point features, such as (KP08) mean Y, (KP08)RMS Y, (KP09) mean Y, and (KP09) RMS Y, are crucial for distinguishing between subject groups. Statistical tests further validated the significance of these features. The application of human pose estimation and key point signals shows promise for clinical postural balance screening. The identified features can be utilized to develop non-invasive tools for assessing postural instability risk, contributing to fall prevention efforts. This study lays the groundwork for integrating additional measurement modalities into sit-to-stand transition analysis to enhance clinical strategies.

Research on the Impact of Mobile Phone Usage Behavior on Stride Characteristics during Walking

Research on the Impact of Mobile Phone Usage Behavior on Stride Characteristics during Walking

The effect of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the human resting state wake EEG and event-related potential: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The rapid growth of mobile phone usage and its use of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) have raised concerns about potential health risks. Researchers have conducted studies to examine the effects of RF-EMF on the brain using electroencephalography (EEG). We conducted a systematic quality assessment and meta-analysis of published research in this field to establish high-quality studies as references for future protocols. The electronic search yielded 244 records from which a total of 51 studies were included in the review after excluding studies based on study design, and data or report availability. Of these 51 studies, 31 (61%) focused on resting state wake EEG and 20 (39%) on event-related potentials (ERP). None of the 51 studies were free from risk of bias. From the 51 included studies, we were able to use seven studies to create three different groups for meta-analysis for resting state wake EEG and five studies to create 10 different groups for meta-analysis for ERP. Per group the number of studies varies from 1 to 5. Our procedure is the first systematic quality assessment in this field and revealed three important findings. First, there is evidence of an effect on the EEG of a 2G protocol using an eyes-open condition. Second, we did not find evidence for EEG effects during task performance. This suggests that the impact of EMF during task performance is less pronounced compared to the resting state condition. Third, this meta-analysis shows that the field is unable to create an evidence base for most comparisons due to heterogeneity. We therefore advise that all future studies are double-blind in nature, adhere to the methodological standard of randomized experiments, and publish their protocols first.

An estimation of the abundance of plastic litter generated by beach users nationwide in Japan.

Coastal regions, including beaches, constitute major tourism assets. Concurrently, beaches are hotspots for microplastic generation, and accumulated beached litter substantially influences future microplastic abundance in the marine environment. Although the stock of plastic litter on beaches has been estimated in previous studies, knowledge gaps exist with regard to the amount of annually generated litter by beach users and the absence of litter generation rate (LGR) in g/person/h or items/person/h. This study aimed to estimate beach-based litter using a novel method. We collected beach-based plastic litter and measured the person-hours of the users using regular photography or videography in summer and autumn/winter at four popular beaches in Japan to obtain LGR and estimate the total litter abundance generated annually from 770 Japanese beaches as a baseline. In summer (autumn/winter), LGR ranged from 0.178 (0.128) to 1.10 (0.453) g/person/h. The LGR in weight was on a 10-1 order regardless of the season and site, except for one survey (1.1g/person/h). In number, it ranged from 0.064 (0.042) to 0.196 (0.122) items/person/h. Using mobile phone big data to assess the person-hours of users on 770 beaches, we estimated the total abundance of litter generated by beach users nationwide for the first time owing to these smaller variances in LGRs. The mean weight (number) was estimated as 12.50t/y (2.80 million items/y) with a 95% confidence interval of 6.54-18.40t/y (1.70-3.89 million items/y). These findings would assist in the development of effective strategies for beach debris management.

Hand hygiene remains key in mobile phone cross-infection risk – Author response

Hand hygiene remains key in mobile phone cross-infection risk – Author response

Research on Xiaomi’s Marketing Strategy for High-End Mobile Phone Brands

Research on Xiaomi’s Marketing Strategy for High-End Mobile Phone Brands