Prevalence and severity of nomophobia among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objectives. To determine the prevalence and severity of nomophobia (dread of not having a smartphone) among nurses. Methods. A systematic search was carried out across different electronic databases, including Medline (PubMed), SCOPUS Embase, CINAHL, EBSCO, and Google Scholar, until March 2024. The meta-analysis included studies that reported the prevalence of nomophobia in nurses and used the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). Two independent reviewers identified the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool. PROSPERO register number CRD42024512079. Results. A total 10 studies (4 in Italy and 6 in Turkey) with 3086 individuals were found to meet the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. However, data could not be retrieved for one research, thus nine studies being included in the meta-analysis. The Overall Prevalence of nomophobia was 68.15% (95% CI: 57.49%-78.81%; I² = 99%). The prevalence of mild nomophobia was reported to be 43% (95% CI, 24%-65%; I2 = 99%), moderate nomophobia was 31% (95% CI, 17%-50%; I2 = 99%), and severe nomophobia was 7% (95% CI, 2%-25%; I2= 95%). Country-specific analysis revealed that Turkish nurses had a greater level of nomophobia than their Italian nurses. Conclusion. Nurses have a high prevalence of mild to moderate nomophobia which emphasizes the need of preventative initiatives and tailored intervention for nurses in health care organizations.