Fatigue due to smartphone use? Investigating research trends and methods for analysing fatigue caused by extensive smartphone usage: A review

Abstract

Background: The easy accessibility of smartphones has led to a fivefold increase in their use. People use smartphones almost anywhere, including during travelling and studying. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, the average smartphone screen time has increased from 2.25 to 4.8 hours per day. In India, smartphone usage increased by 68%, and the average screen time increased from 2.42 to 6.9 hours. This dependency on smartphones has led to smartphone addiction. Inappropriate postures during the prolonged use of smartphones can exert adverse effects such as musculoskeletal disorders, digital eye strain, loss of focus and attention.

Objectives: This study was undertaken to understand the effects of prolonged smartphone utilisation and explored fatigue measurement techniques.

Methods: A total of 130 studies examining the effects of smartphone utilisation published in the previous 10 years were identified from the following databases: IEEE, Science Direct, PubMed, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar are reviewed. This study was conducted from September 2019 to January 2021.

Results: One in every four adolescents were prone to smartphone addiction, which causes poor mental health. Moreover, India's research on the effects of excessive smartphone usage is limited.

Conclusions: Studies are required to establish the correlation between fatigue levels and smartphone usage patterns.

Keywords: Smartphone addiction; digital eye strain; musculoskeletal disorders; smartphone India; smartphone fatigue.