Prevalence of mobile phone addiction among medical students: a systematic review

The incidence and factors related to mobile phone addiction among Chinese medical students were analyzed through meta-analysis. Chinese literature databases (such as China Knowledge Network and VIP Information Resource System) and English literature databases (such as PubMed and Web of Science) were searched for cross-sectional studies on the incidence and factors related to mobile phone addiction, and the required data were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model with RevMan 5.3 statistical software, and publication bias was tested with Stata 12.0. A total of 20 studies were included, including 36,365 study subjects. Among them, there were 10,597 cases of mobile phone addiction with an incidence of 29.14%. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the combined OR values (95% CI) of the factors were: gender 1.070 (1.030-1.120), residence 1.118 (1.090-1.146), school type 1.280 (1.241-1.321), mobile phone use time 1.098 (1.068-1.129), sleep quality 1.280 (1.288-1.334), self-perception of learning 0.737 (0.710-0.767), and family relationship 0.821 (0.791-0.852). The study showed that being a male student from cities and towns, being at a vocational college, excessive use of mobile phones, and poor sleep quality were the risk factors for mobile phone addiction among medical students in China. Positive self-perception of learning and family relationships were protective factors, and more related factors are still controversial and need to be further explored and confirmed.