Prevalence of smartphone addiction and its association with anxiety and depression among pregnant women in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study
Laiba Akram, Muhammad Saad Khan, Erum Siddiqui, Nighat Shah, Marium Osama, Harshika Khaim Chandani, Umm e Abeeha Naqvi, Aminath WaafiraBackground
Excessive smartphone use has emerged as a growing public health concern and has been associated with anxiety, depression, and adverse behavioral outcomes. Although smartphone addiction (SA) has been widely studied in adolescents and young adults, limited evidence exists regarding its prevalence and psychological correlates among pregnant women, particularly in Pakistan, where perinatal anxiety and depression are highly prevalent.
Objectives
To determine the prevalence of smartphone addiction risk among pregnant women and examine its association with anxiety, depression, and selected socio-demographic and gestational factors.
Design
Observational analytical cross-sectional study.
Methods
This study was conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from May to July 2025. A total of 350 pregnant smartphone users aged ≥18 years were recruited using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 25, with p < 0.05 considered significant.
Results
High-risk smartphone addiction was identified in 3.5% (n = 12) of participants, while 96.5% were categorized as low risk. Anxiety and depression were significantly correlated with smartphone addiction. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the overall model was statistically significant (R 2 = 0.088, F (7,342) = 4.691, p < 0.001). Anxiety (β = 0.237, p < 0.001) and level of education (β = 0.141, p = 0.010) were significant independent predictors of smartphone addiction.
Conclusion
Although high-risk smartphone addiction was uncommon, higher smartphone addiction scores were associated with anxiety and depression. Anxiety emerged as the strongest independent predictor of smartphone addiction after adjustment for socio-demographic and obstetric factors. Integrating digital behavior screening with mental health assessment during antenatal care may help identify vulnerable women and support preventive interventions.