{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nSmartphone addiction (SPA) has emerged as a growing public health concern, especially among university students, due to long usage times and the possibility of being affected both physically and neuropsychologically. With little research on these connections in the literature, this study bridges the gap by examining these associations within a single framework in Syria.Methods\n\nA cross-sectional online survey in Arabic was conducted to determine the prevalence and associations of SPA among Syrian university students, using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). Self-reported instruments assessed neck pain, ocular complaints, fatigue, cognitive failures, and ADHD-related symptoms using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), respectively. Data were collected via Google Forms from November to December 2025.Results\n\nOf 1024 participants, 59% were females, 63.6% were students in the medical field, and 60.6% met the criteria for SPA. After adjustment, SPA was associated with higher odds of dry eye symptoms (aOR = 2.78; 95% CI, 2.08-3.71; p < 0.001), neck pain-related disability (aOR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.38-2.81; p < 0.001), fatigue (aOR = 4.08; 95% CI, 3.03-5.50; p < 0.001), as well as higher cognitive failure scores (β = 5.95; 95% CI, 4.60-7.31; p < 0.001) and higher likelihood of exceeding ADHD screening cut-off (aOR = 4.30; 95% CI, 3.17-5.82; p < 0.001).Conclusion\n\nSPA screening status was associated with a higher burden of physical and neuropsychological symptoms among university students. These cross-sectional associations support public health strategies that promote healthier digital behaviours.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Faculty of Medicine, Damascus University, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic. farahak2002@gmail.com.",
    "Faculty of Medicine, Latakia University, Latakia, Syrian Arab Republic.",
    "Faculty of Medicine, Al Andalus University for Medical Sciences, Tartus, Al Qadmus, Syrian Arab Republic.",
    "Faculty of Medicine, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic.",
    "Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Clinical Science Wing, University of Leicester, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, LE3 9QP, UK.",
    "Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK.",
    "Leicester British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK.",
    "Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Clinical Science Wing, University of Leicester, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, LE3 9QP, UK. ia277@leicester.ac.uk.",
    "Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK. ia277@leicester.ac.uk.",
    "Department of Cardiology, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK. ia277@leicester.ac.uk."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Farah Abou Kheir",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-2637-1370"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Aref Jalal Eldin",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-1123-2456"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ali Hmidoush",
      "orcid": "0009-0004-3122-9024"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Amal Mahfoud",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-5705-9466"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Rawan Alhaj Hosen",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-9613-9713"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mais Alsoud",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-4625-0529"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mohamad Barakat",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-8679-6219"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        5,
        6
      ],
      "name": "Mustafa Zakkar"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7,
        8,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Ibrahim Antoun"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8w2mnf4rjwhfp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12889-026-28883-z",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13726299",
  "id": "8w2mnf4rjwhfp",
  "issns": [
    "1471-2458"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968075",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3312|Impact of Technology on Adolescents"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7172396012",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13726299?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13726299",
  "pmid": "42968075",
  "published": "2026-08-04",
  "publisher": "BMC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8w2mnf4rjwhfp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T15:20:54Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42968075",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968075"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T12:22:40Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13726299",
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    }
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:1471-2458",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Smartphone addiction screening status and associated physical and neuropsychological symptoms among Syrian university students: a cross-sectional study.",
  "title_text": "Smartphone addiction screening status and associated physical and neuropsychological symptoms among Syrian university students: a cross-sectional study.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T12:22:18Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8w2mnf4rjwhfp",
  "venue": "BMC public health",
  "versions": []
}