Nomophobia in Health Science Students: Prevalence at an Ecuadorian University

Abstract

Introduction: Technological advances have facilitated communication and access to information, but they have also led to excessive use of mobile phones, especially among young people. This has given rise to nomophobia, an irrational fear of not having access to a cell phone, with negative effects.

Objective: To assess the level of nomophobia in health science students at the University of San Gregorio in Portoviejo.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted, with a quantitative approach and a non-experimental design. A non-probabilistic sample of 250 students was selected from a total of 1,611 health science students at the University of San Gregorio. A 20-item survey was administered, using the Nomophobia Questionnaire, adapted into Spanish, which measures the level of nomophobia on a Likert scale from 1 to 7, where a higher score indicates a higher level of nomophobia.

Results: Comprehensive Aesthetics students show the highest technological dependence, while Medicine and Dentistry students maintain a more balanced use. Nursing shows the lowest dependence.

Conclusions: It is recommended that students of Integral Aesthetics be given greater guidance on the healthy use of technology, due to its impact on well-being and academic performance. Medicine and Dentistry maintain a balance without extreme dependence, while Nursing could serve as a reference for technology management strategies in other careers.