PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY OF NECK PAIN AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH SMARTPHONE ADDICTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE KULLIYYAH OF ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCE, IIUM KUANTAN

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of neck pain associated with smartphone addiction among students is rising with advancing technology. Excessive smartphones use leads to musculoskeletal disorders that can impair daily functional ability. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of smartphone addiction and neck pain affecting functional activities among undergraduate students at KAHS, IIUM Kuantan Campus, and to examine the relationship between neck pain and smartphone addiction. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 105 undergraduate students. Smartphone addiction and neck pain were assessed using the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed online through convenient sampling. Results: The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 41.9%, and neck pain affecting functional ability was 50.5%. Spearman correlation analysis revealed a weak positive correlation (r = 0.385) between smartphone addiction and neck pain, with a significance level of p<0.001. Conclusion: This study concludes that excessive smartphone use is significantly associated with neck pain and disability. Assessing the prevalence among university students may increase awareness of neck pain and support the implementation of preventive measures to reduce the risk of disability caused by neck pain.

Keywords: neck pain, smartphone addiction, musculoskeletal disorders, undergraduate students