Association between mobile-phone addiction in the children of patients with alcohol use disorder: A case-control study from Subharti Medical College & Hospital, Meerut in 2019-2021.

AIM: To study the association between mobile-phone addiction in the children of patients with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional, observational, age and gender-matched case-control study was designed. The study was conducted at Subharti Medical College & Hospital, Meerut, from December 2019 to September 2021. Participants were recruited from Psychiatry OPD/inpatient using the purposive sampling technique. Patients with AUD were defined as ‘cases’ while their healthy first-degree relative (FDR) without substance use disorder as ‘control’. One child of every case and control participated. Socio-demographic characteristics and clinical features were recorded in a semi-structured proforma. Cases were assessed on Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). The outcome of mobile-phone addiction in the children of AUD and their FDR was evaluated on Mobile Phone Addiction Scale (MPAS). RESULTS: 40 pairs of age and gender-matched cases and controls; and 80 children were recruited. A cut-off score of 80 or more on MPAS was marked for mobile-phone addiction. A statistically significant association was found between mobile-phone addiction among the children of patients with AUD X(2)(p-value) =6.054(0.014). A greater association of mobile-phone addiction among the children of patients with AUDIT severity score [adjusted Odd’s Ratio (AOR) (95%CI)=6.818(2.281-20.383), unadjusted OR(95%CI)=1.759(1.115-2.776) surfaced. Regarding socio-demographic variables, a higher association of stage of adolescence and mobile-phone addiction [AOR(95%CI)=0.014(0.001-0.146), unadjusted OR(95%CI)=0.061(0.015-0.240) emerged. DISCUSSION: The findings show that the children of patients with AUD are at higher risk of mobile-phone addiction. CONCLUSION: Management of patients with AUD should include assessment and preventive strategies of their children for mobile-phone addiction.