The association between smartphone use and sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness among health care students and workers in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: The use of smartphones among the general public and health care practitioners, in particular, is ubiquitous. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness among health care students and workers in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire to collect data on smartphone addiction, sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness as well as demographic information. RESULTS: A total of 773 health care students and workers participated in the study, with an average age of 25.95 ± 8.35, and 59.6% female participants. The study found a positive significant association between smartphone addiction and psychological distress (F((1,771)) = 140.8, P < 0.001) and emotional loneliness (F((1,771)) = 26.70, P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant negative association between smartphone addiction and sleep quality was found (F((1,771)) = 4.208, P = 0.041). However, there was no significant relationship between smartphone addiction and social loneliness (F (1,771) = 0.544, P < 0.461). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that smartphone addiction has a negative impact on psychological distress, sleep quality, and emotional loneliness among health care students and workers. It is important to promote strategies to reduce smartphone dependency in order to avoid the harmful consequences of smartphone addiction.