Smartphone use by health professionals: A review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Behavioral Science
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• Smartphones have transformed global communication and efficiency, impacting healthcare.
• Abusive smartphone use by health professionals can lead to distractions and compromised patient care.
• Behavioral and psychological changes associated with excessive smartphone use have significant implications for individuals and community health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the evolution of smartphone addiction and abusive use among health professionals over the past five years.
• To understand the impact of smartphone abuse on patient care and the healthcare setting.
• To contribute to a better understanding of smartphone addiction in healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Psycho Info databases.
• Keywords included "Smartphone addiction," "Smartphone dependence," "Smartphone abuse," "physicians," "nurses," and "health professionals."
• Analysis of articles published within the last five years (up to August 2019) focusing on abusive smartphone use in health professionals.

Main Results:

• Lack of standardized screening tools and diagnostic criteria for smartphone addiction in health professionals.
• Limited research on the etiology of compulsive smartphone use behavior.
• Divergent views among professionals regarding awareness of risks, with some acknowledging dangers and advocating for conscious use policies, while others highlight app benefits.

Conclusions:

• While smartphones offer benefits, addictive behavior, particularly among health professionals, can harm healthcare delivery and requires monitoring.
• Further research is needed to explore the motivations behind addictive smartphone behavior.
• The classification of abusive smartphone usage as a distinct psychiatric disorder or a symptom of other conditions requires further investigation.