title: Prevalence of Mobile Phone Dependence in Secondary School Adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mobile phones have become an essential part of modern human life. They have many attributes which makes them very attractive to both young and old. There has been an increasing trend of use of mobile phones among students. Data has now started emerging with respect to the negative physical and psychological consequences of excessive use of mobile phones. New research has shown excessive use of mobile phones leading to development of symptoms suggestive of dependence syndrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence of Mobile Phone Dependence (MPD) in secondary school adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, observational study conducted in secondary section of English-medium schools at Navi Mumbai (India).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and fifteen students studying in 8(th), 9(th) and 10(th) standards of schools at Navi Mumbai (India) having personal mobile phone were randomly included in the study. Participant information like age, gender, family type, phone type, duration of use per day and years of mobile phone usage was recorded. They were administered an MPD questionnaire based upon the dependence syndrome criteria as per ICD-10. According to their responses, participants who fulfilled three or more of the diagnostic criteria were rated as having MPD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mobile Phone Dependence was found in 31.33% of sample students. It was significantly associated with gender (p=0.003, OR=1.91, CI: 1.23-2.99), family type (p=0.0012), type of mobile phone used (p<0.001, OR=2.6, CI: 1.63-4.35), average time per day spent using mobile phone (p<0.001) and years of mobile phone usage (p =0.004, OR=2.4, CI: 1.31-4.55).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mobile Phone Dependence has been found to be an emerging public health problem. There is need to recognize and identify early the growing trends and negative consequences of inappropriate mobile phone use in young users so as to generate awareness, and plan educational and treatment interventions, if need be, so as to prevent a major public health concern.
authors.affiliation: Student Intern, Department of Psychiatry, MGM Medical College & Hospital , Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India .
authors.forename: Chimatapu Sri
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Nikhita
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, MGM Medical College & Hospital , Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India .
authors.forename: Pradeep R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Jadhav
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Psychiatry, MGM Medical College & Hospital , Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India .
authors.forename: Shaunak A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ajinkya
keywords: Addiction, Cell phones; ICD-10; Non substance dependence