Prevalence of nomophobia and smartphone usage hours among students of the Universidad de la Integración de las Américas, Asunción, Paraguay

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, smartphone usage has grown exponentially, with a projected 7.49 billion users by 2025. In the university setting, these devices facilitate access to information and communication, but excessive use has been linked to dependence and emotional disturbances. Nomophobia, defined as the irrational fear of being without a mobile phone, has a high global prevalence, although studies on this phenomenon in Paraguay are scarce. Objective: Determine the prevalence of nomophobia and smartphone usage time among students at the University of the Integration of the Americas in 2024. Materials and Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. The population consisted of 4,000 students, and the sample included 364 students from various faculties. The NMP-Q questionnaire, validated in Spanish, was applied, and the daily cell phone usage time was recorded. Results: The findings revealed that 98.63% of students exhibit some level of nomophobia, with 55.49% at a moderate level and 22.53% at a severe level. Additionally, 59.07% use their phone for more than 4 hours daily. Conclusion: The study concludes that nomophobia is highly prevalent among the studied population, highlighting a growing dependence on technology. It is necessary to implement educational strategies to promote balanced smartphone use and mitigate its negative impact on academic and emotional well-being. Future longitudinal studies will allow for a better analysis of the evolution of this phenomenon.