The Prevalence of Excessive Mobile Phone Use and its Relation With Mental Health Status and Demographic Factors Among the Students of Gonabad University of Medical Sciences in 2011 - 2012

The excessive mobile phones use is a common problem among students, so it is necessary to identify this phenomenon’s relevant factors in each university for appropriate planning. The study aim was to determine the prevalence of excessive mobile phone use and its relationship with mental health status and demographic factors on the students of Gonabad University of Medical Sciences in 2011-2012. In this cross-sectional study, all 700 students in the university were surveyed and completed demographic information form, GHQ-28, mobile phone addiction scale (MPAI). The data were analyzed in SPSS-18 software and by Chi-square test, student t-test and ANOVA were used at the significant level of P < 0.05. The prevalence of excessive mobile phone use was 36.7% on the students. There was a significant relation between the prevalence of excessive mobile phone use and mental health status in general (P > 0.05), and also somatization (P < 0.05), anxiety and depression specifically (P < 0.05), but no significant relation was found between the excessive mobile phone use and social dysfunction (P < 0.05), and also sex, age, marital status, settlement, and academic achievement (P < 0.05). But there was also a significant relation between education degree (in MSc and doctoral degree students) and the prevalence of excessive mobile phone (P > 0.05). According to rather high prevalence of excessive use of mobile phone and existence of significant relation between the prevalence of excessive mobile phone use and mental health problems, it is recommended to improve their mental health status and acceptable social relationship instead of dependency on mobile phone use that can inreturn reduce the negative effects of excessive mobile phone use.