INTRODUCTION:

Many of the items we use today are a result of technology. Technological advances have improved our health, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, how we travel, and how we communicate with one another.

There are a few drawbacks to some aspects of technology but overall technology has greatly improved in many aspects of living for most people.¹

Cell phones are a vast improvement over the telecommunications technology of the past, and are daily becoming a fixture of modern life cell phones have become a necessity for many people throughout the world. As cell phone technology advanced, the difficult in using them became less of a problem. Today, cell phone reception has improved greatly due to the use of satellites and wireless services. As cell phones improved and became simple to use, the importance of cell phones increased accordingly.²

The cellular telephone system is a way of providing portable telephone services. Each phone is connected by a radio link to a base station; in turn this is linked to the telephone network which is the largest machine on the planet.³

Although cell phones seem to be the ideal device for simplicity and connectedness, nothing is perfect. Such negative effects of cell phones on the youth are health risks such as mental health, bullying, eye strain and digital thumb, brain tumours and low sperm counts, lack of sleep and their addiction and no self- control in owning a cell phone.⁴

In a report about health hazards of mobile phones in Indian perspective, it is said that the mobile phone industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in modern history. Today, India has million mobile phone users, and mobile phones account for 88% of all telecommunication users. The rural sector accounts for more than 25% of all wireless phone users and this proportion is bound to grow as affordability of mobile phones continues to increase. Studies have demonstrated that usage behaviours, such as duration of usage and predominant, one-sided use of mobile phones are some of the chief risks that increase likelihood of hazards resulting from mobile phone use.⁵

A recent study indicated that, radiation from cell phones harms cells and further that males who carry cell phones near their groin region may have up to a 30% reduction in fertility rates. The result found that there was more DNA damage in the exposed sperm than in sperm in the control group.⁶

Even though the social advantages of mobile phones to children and others are many and obvious, there are many different and often valid view points or discourses expressed as to their disadvantages, harms and potential and actual abuses. Therefore, it is important to examine all issues related to mobile phones and its effect on human beings.⁷

The researcher personally perceived from his experience, at the time of community posting, the parents complaints regarding the excessive use of mobile phones by their children. Furthermore majority of the people are unaware or not concern about the ill effects of mobile phone usage. Therefore the researcher foresaw the need for conducting this study.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

1. Determine the knowledge on ill effects of cell phones usage among adolescents.

2. Design and distribute an information booklet regarding ill effects of mobile phones among adolescents

3. Find the association between knowledge of adolescents regarding cell phones and selected demographical variables such as age, sex, education, duration of cell phone use and source of information regarding ill effect of cell phone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This cross sectional study was undertaken in Jeppu, urban community of Mangalore, with the approval from the District Health Officer, Mangalore and Institution Ethical committee. The study consisted of 50 adolescents within the age group of 10-19 years. Adolescents were selected by Non-probability purposive sampling. The participants were briefed about the nature of the study, consent was given and a pre-tested structured questionnaire was administered to them. Data that recorded include general data comprised of age, sex, education and source of information regarding ill effects of cell phone.The information pertaining to the physical, physiological, psychological, environmental and social effects of cell phones and its precautionary measures were included in the questionnaire. Information booklet on ill effects of cell phones was given based on adolescent’s level of knowledge after completion of the pre test.

RESULTS:

A total of 50 adolescents were selected by non probability purposive sampling , of whom majority 50% were in the age group of 16-19 years and least were 18% in the age group of 10-13yr. Gender wise distribution shows that 60% were male and 40% were female.

Distribution of adolescent according to their education showed that majority 56% were in PUC and above, least 14% were from primary school. Based on source of information on ill effects of cell phones shows that majority 66% got information through mass media and 28% had no information on ill effects of cell phones usage. (Table 1)

Table 2 depicts the level of knowledge of adolescents, nearly half of the mothers 23 (46%) had poor knowledge, around 24 (48%) had average knowledge. None of them had very good knowledge.

Area-wise mean score percentage on knowledge regarding ill effects of cell phones among adolescents had highest mean percentage 55.2%(2.76±0.771) in the area of knowledge regarding basic concepts of cell phones,35.5% (4.46±2.601) in the area of effects of cell phones and precautions for cell phones usage had 39.67% (3.16±1.822) (Table 3).(Figure1)

Figure 1 :Area-wise mean score percentage on knowledge regarding ill effects of cell phones among adolescents

Table 1: Description of demographic characteristics of adolescents

N=50

Demographic characteristics	Frequency	Percentage
1. Age
a. 10-13 years	9	18.0
b. 13-16 years	16	32.0
c. 16-19 years	25	50.0
2. Gender
a. Male	30	60.0
b. Female	20	40.0
3. Education
a. Primary	7	14.0
b. High school	15	30.0
c. PUC & above	28	56.0
4. Source of information regarding ill effects of cell phones
a. Mass media	33	66.0
b. Friends	3	6.0
c. No information	14	28.0

Table 2 : Distribution of knowledge level among adolescents

Level of knowledge	Max score	Number	Percentage
Poor	0-10	23	46
Average	11-15	24	48
Good	16-20	3	6
Very good	20-25	0	0

Table 3: Description of area-wise mean, standard deviation and mean percentage of knowledge score

Sl. No.

Aspects of knowledge

Max. possible score

Mean score

Mean %

Basic concepts of cell phones.

Effects of cell phones.

Precautions for cell phone usage.

2.76

4.26

3.16

0.771

2.601

1.822

55.20

35.50

39.50

Total

10.18

4.402

40.72

Table 4: Association of knowledge with selected demographic variables of adolescents

N=50

Sl.No. Sample characteristics	<median	≥median	χ²value
1. Age in years 10 – 13 13 – 16 16 – 19 2. Gender Male Female 3. Education Primary High school PUC and above 4. Source of information regarding ill effects of cell phones Mass media Friends No information	6 5 12 15 8 5 6 12 10 9 4	7 7 13 15 12 6 5 16 10 7 10	0.081 NS* 0.483 NS* 0.253 NS* NS* 10.503

Sl.No. Sample characteristics

<median

≥median

χ²value

1. Age in years

10 – 13

13 – 16

16 – 19

2. Gender

Male

Female

3. Education

Primary

High school

PUC and above

4. Source of information regarding ill effects of cell phones

Mass media

Friends

No information

0.081

NS*

0.483

NS*

0.253

NS*

10.503

NS* Not significant, S* significant, c²₁=3.84, c²₂=5.99, c²₃=7.82; p< 0.05

DISCUSSION:

The mobile phone is a modern-day invention, which has managed to reach many parts of the world enabling telecommunications across areas where it was not possible before. In the year 2000, there were an estimated 500 million mobile phone users worldwide. Today, there is about 3.3 billion users.The use of mobile phones among young children and adolescents is also increasing dramatically.⁸

Our study denoted that there is no significant association between knowledge level of adolescents and selected demographic variables which is in concordance with other case control study conducted in Australia among adolescents to investigate possible predictors of mobile phone use in young people. Results showed that there is a high prevalence of mobile phone use amongst Australian adolescents (94%). Males were significantly younger than females, higher psychoticism scores were associated with regular use; there was a tendency for students with higher extraversion scores to report more mobile phone use. Parental socio-economic status was associated with mobile phone use, but parents who expressed moderate/high level concerns about possible health risks. Researcher concludes that almost all adolescent Australians use MP, but regular exposure was associated with personality traits. Parental socio-economic status and perceived health risks of mobile phone use were also associated with use of phones.⁹

The finding of this study is consistent with the survey conducted among 330 adolescents in Riyadh, to assess the adverse effects of excessive mobile phone use shows similarity in the demographic distribution with some of the variables like age and sex. In the case of age the majority was 15 years and above, in sex the majority was males 73.77% and only 26.22 % were females.¹⁰

An analytical study conducted in Korea among 577 adolescents with an aim to develop a cell phone addiction scale. The participants were adolescents in two middle schools and three high schools. Results showed that the scores for the scale were significantly correlated with self-control, impulsiveness, and cell phone use. Scale scores identified students as cell phone addicted, heavy users, or average users. The researcher concludes that the cell phone addiction scale has good validity and reliability when used with Korean adolescents.¹¹

CONCLUSION:

The present study has found that adolescents had poor knowledge on ill effects of cell phones. A significant number of adolescents were unaware of the ill effects of prolonged cell phone usage. Various awareness programmes for adolescents regarding ill effects of cell phone usage should be arranged by administrators with up to date knowledge, so that they can implement in their day to day life.

The limitations of this study included the absence of a comparative group, the small sample size.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

We would like to express our gratitude to the adolescents of Jeppu, Mangalore. We would equally thank Dr Bibiana Vijay Principal Shree Devi college of Nursing Mangalore and Mrs. Jacintha Veigas Principal Zulekha Nursing College, Mangalore for their whole hearted support and Guidance.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:

The author declare that they have no competing interest.

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Received on 26.03.2013 Modified on 23.04.2013

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 3(3): July-Sept., 2013; Page 167-170