Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of using smartphones among medical students on their academic achievement, their eye dryness, and their psychological status.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, depending on a self-reported questionnaire distributed electronically among medical students. The questionnaire consisted of 6 parts: demographic factors, grade point average, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Dry Eye Questionnaire, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale for adolescents-short version.
Results: A total of 346 students were included. Using gender-specific cutoff points, 44.2% of students were considered smartphone addicts. A significant association was found between smartphone addiction and age group, depression severity, stress severity, and dry eye status. The odds of smartphone addiction were 3.24 times higher among students with dry eye symptoms (OR = 3.24; 95% CI: 1.89-5.56).
Conclusion: A high percentage of medical students in Jeddah (44.2%) were found to be addicted to their smartphones. Smartphone addiction was significantly associated with higher levels of depression and stress severity. Although causality cannot be determined from this cross-sectional design, the strength of the associations highlighted the importance of addressing digital well-being at an institutional level.

Key words: Smartphone addiction, iPad, medical students, depression, dry eye, Saudi Arabia, SAS-SV, DASS-21, DEQ-5, Jeddah