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Prevalence of De Quervain's Tenosynovitis among Mobile Phone Using Students in Pakistan: A Systematic Review and
Anmut Endalkachew Bezie1, Awoke Keleb2, Halid Worku Jemil3
1Department of Occupational Health and Safety, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia.
Background:
De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQT) is a growing ergonomic health issue among mobile phone users. It affects students' thumbs and wrists, limiting their thumb movement and reducing work productivity. However, there is limited epidemiological data among students. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to find the pooled prevalence of DQT among students in Pakistan.
Methods:
A careful search of cross-sectional studies that showed the prevalence of DQT among students in Pakistan was conducted. Studies found in PubMed, Semantic Scholar, HINARI, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched up to December 25, 2025. The recommended PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used for reporting items. Data were extracted using Excel 16 and analysed by STATA V17. The quality of the included studies was assessed by the JBI quality assessment tool. The random effect model was applied to find the pooled prevalence of DQT. Publication bias was evaluated by Egger's regression test and the Begg's funnel plot.
Results:
This systematic review and meta-analysis included a total of 14 studies with a sample size of 3,277. The pooled prevalence of DQT was found to be 46.33% (95% CI: 35.38, 57.28; I 2 = 97.56%, P = .001). The subgroup analysis found that DQT varies highly among the included studies. High prevalence with significant heterogeneity was found in both university and college students. Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis indicates the consistency of the pooled finding.
Conclusions:
This systematic review and meta-analysis found a high prevalence of DQT among students in Pakistan. Therefore, early identification and preventive measures are recommended. These may include ergonomic education and digital health awareness campaigns focusing on the risks of mobile phone-related repetitive thumb and wrist movements, applying hand and wrist stretching exercises, and encouraging regular breaks.
