Abstract

Background: Cell phones have become necessity in all age groups in current scenario. The rate of its use is continuously increasing and is affecting the most energetic group of population i.e. adolescents. India has the highest mobile phone users in the world after Korea. In India among 143 million social media users, 12% are school children. Data related to the use of cell phone in adolescents is still meager and need to be explored in India.
Aim: To see the pattern of mobile phone use among adolescents attending a Delhi based tertiary care Ayurveda hospital.
Materials and methods: A questionnaire was developed having four domains with 23 questions. An Observational study was conducted in Delhi including 300 adolescents aged between 10-16yrs, irrespective of their sex. Participant’s demographic information with financial status of the family and academic performances was questioned with their parents. The data like duration of use per day, content of usage and habits were recorded from the participants through face-to-face interview
to fill up the questionnaire.
Results: Out of 300 participants, 48.66% were boys, 80.33% participants belong from mid adolescent (14-16yr) age group. About 33% showed behavioral addiction, 5% showed ringxiety, while headache (28%), vision problems (33%), disturbed sleep (6%) were also noticed in the surveyed adolescents. Mobile phones affected the academic performances of 52%.
Conclusion: Academic performance of 52% of the surveyed was affected, which should be a need of serious concern. Poor academic performances and excessive use of phones seems to have a vicious connection. have gradually developed as a vicious cycle.

Key words: Cell phone, Addiction, Adolescents.