Ankara'daki Tıpta Uzmanlık Öğrencilerinin Nomofobi Düzeyinin Yaşam Kalitesine Etkisi

Abstract

This study aims to determine the level of nomophobia in medical residents working in different hospitals and to evaluate the effect of nomophobia level on the quality of life of medical residents. The study was carried out with 424 residents actively continuing their speciality education in Ankara in 2022. Data were collected online between 20.04.2022 and 01.11.2022 by using the form containing sociodemographic and occupational characteristics consisting of 21 questions, the Nomophobia Scale (NMFS) consisting of 20 questions, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) consisting of 27 questions.The survey link was shared on social media platforms, furthermore, the institutions medical residents worked were visited and the QR code derived fromthe survey link was handed out. While 261 (61.6%) of 424 research assistants participating in the study were women, the mean age was 27.9±2.6 years. 68.6% of them was working at the university hospital, and the majority (82.8%) are in internal medicine. While more than two-thirds of the research assistants have been using a smartphone for more than 10 years and using a smartphone for more than 3 hours a day, nearly 90% of them were talking on the phone for up to 1 hour a day. It was found that 117 (27.6%) of the residents had mild, 221 (52.1%) had moderate, and 86 (20.3%) had severe nomophobia. The risk of moderate and severe nomophobia increases as the time spent by residency students decreases and as the daily phone call time increases. In addition, the quality of life of those with moderate and extreme nomophobia is lower than those with mild nomophobia. Considering the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, the mental, social and environmental quality of life levels of men compared to women; The social quality of life subdimension of married people is higher than that of singles. In addition, those living at home with their spouse and/or children have a higher social quality of life levels than those living alone, living with their mother and/or father, and living with other people. Finally, it was found that those with a monthly household income of more than 30000 TL had a higher environmental quality of life than all income groups. In conclusion, it was determined that excessive cell phone use in medical residents increased the severity of nomophobia and there was a negative correlation between the level of nomophobia and quality of life. For this reason, physicians should be protected from nomophobia to be better role models in society in terms of healthy life and public health, and to improve their quality of life.