Addiction of Smartphones and Its Relationship to Academic Achievement of Medical Students in Saudi Arabia,2022

BackgroundSmartphones and their increasing capabilities have helped humans to communicate and perform many tasks and it leads to a form of dependency, and it may have negative effects on everyone, especially students. ObjectivesTo assess smartphone addiction and its relationship to academic performance among medical students at King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MethodsAn observational cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September 2022 including students of the College of Medicine at King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The data collection tool was structured and utilized an electronic survey. ResultsA total of 330 participants answered the study questionnaire. The most common age range of study participants was 18-28 years with 64.2% of the study sample. Male participants represented 63%. The study income is less than 5000 riyals 54.5% per month. Majority of ftudents (65%) believe that using smartphones them to study more efficiently. Analysis of the study results shows that there is a statistically significant correlation between phone addiction and a decrease in the academic performance of college students. ConclusionOur study found that there is a significant correlation between phone addiction and a drop in academic performance. Despite its attractiveness, smartphone addiction is a time waster for students that might disrupts their sleep and causes stress. It is, therefore, necessary to create a comprehensive plan that directs the students towards balanced use.