Beyond Screen Time: Mobile Phone Use Behavior Patterns and Health Outcome among School Aged Students in Lalitpur District, Nepal
4 affiliations
- 1Nepalese Army institute of Health Sciences , Bhandarkhal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
- 2Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
- 3Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, Flacq District, Mauritius.
- 4Medical University of Americas, Charles Town, Navis, Saint Kitts. and Navis
Abstract
Introduction: The use and access to mobile phones have been growing rapidly among school-aged students. Constant and repeated use of mobile phones that reinforce habits formation, may result in adverse health outcomes. The objective of the study was to study the behavioral patterns of mobile phone use and related physical and mental health outcomes.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2025 to February 2026 at Mahendra Bhrikuti Secondary School, Lalitpur. A total of 199 school students of grades 7-12 were selected using non probability sampling technique and requested to complete a self-administrated questionnaire consisting of their socio-demographic characteristics, patterns of mobile usage, and mobile phone addiction, which were assessed with a 5-point Likert scale, 11-item Mobile Phone Usage Behavioral Scale and a 6-point Likert scale, 20-item Mobile Phone Addiction Scale, respectively.
Results: Out of 199 participants, 158 (79.40%) used smartphone and 54 (27.14%) had mobile phone addiction. The most commonly reported physical symptoms were digital eye strain (80, 40.20%), followed by neck pain (67, 33.67%), headache (64, 32.16%) and sleep disturbances (59, 29.65%), while tolerance (83, 41.71%) followed by decreased interest in alternative pleasures (76, 38.19%) and withdrawal symptoms (75, 37.69%) were the frequently reported psychological symptom. Mobile phone addiction was seen significantly higher among smartphone user students (p=0.016).
Conclusions: Mobile phone addiction was found in about quarter of the school aged students. Digital eye strain and tolerance were the commonest physical and psychological symptoms respectively. Mobile phone dependence was higher among smartphone users.
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BibTeX
@article{mahat2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond Screen Time: Mobile Phone Use Behavior Patterns and Health Outcome among School Aged Students in Lalitpur District, Nepal}},
author = {Barun Mahat and Binnam Shakya and Manoj Sharma and Sabin Zoowa and Naresh Manandhar and Lava Shrestha and Indragit Banarjee and Sunil Dhungel},
journal = {Journal of Nepal Medical Association},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.31729/jnma.v64i303.9698},
url = {https://doi.org/10.31729/jnma.v64i303.9698},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond Screen Time: Mobile Phone Use Behavior Patterns and Health Outcome among School Aged Students in Lalitpur District, Nepal
AU - Barun Mahat
AU - Binnam Shakya
AU - Manoj Sharma
AU - Sabin Zoowa
AU - Naresh Manandhar
AU - Lava Shrestha
AU - Indragit Banarjee
AU - Sunil Dhungel
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Journal of Nepal Medical Association
DO - 10.31729/jnma.v64i303.9698
UR - https://doi.org/10.31729/jnma.v64i303.9698
AB - Introduction: The use and access to mobile phones have been growing rapidly among school-aged students. Constant and repeated use of mobile phones that reinforce habits formation, may result in adverse health outcomes. The objective of the study was to study the behavioral patterns of mobile phone use and related physical and mental health outcomes. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2025 to February 2026 at Mahendra Bhrikuti Secondary School, Lalitpur. A total of 199 school students of grades 7-12 were selected using non probability sampling technique and requested to complete a self-administrated questionnaire consisting of their socio-demographic characteristics, patterns of mobile usage, and mobile phone addiction, which were assessed with a 5-point Likert scale, 11-item Mobile Phone Usage Behavioral Scale and a 6-point Likert scale, 20-item Mobile Phone Addiction Scale, respectively. Results: Out of 199 participants, 158 (79.40%) used smartphone and 54 (27.14%) had mobile phone addiction. The most commonly reported physical symptoms were digital eye strain (80, 40.20%), followed by neck pain (67, 33.67%), headache (64, 32.16%) and sleep disturbances (59, 29.65%), while tolerance (83, 41.71%) followed by decreased interest in alternative pleasures (76, 38.19%) and withdrawal symptoms (75, 37.69%) were the frequently reported psychological symptom. Mobile phone addiction was seen significantly higher among smartphone user students (p=0.016). Conclusions: Mobile phone addiction was found in about quarter of the school aged students. Digital eye strain and tolerance were the commonest physical and psychological symptoms respectively. Mobile phone dependence was higher among smartphone users.
SN - 0028-2715
SN - 1815-672X
ER -