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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Digital Public Health
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1535074
Problematic smartphone usage in the Austrian general population: A comparative study of 2022 and 2024, mental health correlates and sociodemographic risk factors
Provisionally accepted- 1 University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, Lower Austria, Austria
- 2 Sigmund Freud University Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- 3 University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
The increasing integration of smartphones into daily life raises concerns about potential mental health impacts associated with excessive usage. This study aimed to assess trends in smartphone usage and examine its association with mental health issues as well as assessing sociodemographic risk factors for problematic smartphone usage in the Austrian population over two periods, 2022 and 2024. Methods: Two cross-sectional online surveys were conducted with representative samples of the Austrian general population (N=3,057). Sociodemographic data, smartphone usage patterns, and mental health indicators, including clinically relevant depression, anxiety, insomnia, alcohol abuse, and high stress, were collected. Problematic smartphone use was defined as usage exceeding three hours per day. Chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to analyze associations. Results: Smartphone usage increased significantly from 2022 to 2024, with a higher prevalence of problematic usage observed in 2024. Higher smartphone use was associated with increased odds of mental health issues, particularly for those spending over three hours daily on their phones. Women, younger participants, and Vienna residents showed a higher likelihood of problematic smartphone use.The marked increase in smartphone usage between 2022 and 2024, along with its association with mental health issues, highlights the need for public health interventions targeting digital well-being. Specific groups, notably younger individuals, women, and urban residents, may require targeted strategies to mitigate excessive smartphone usage.
Keywords: Depression, Anxiety, insomnia, alcohol abuse, stress, Smartphone usage
Received: 26 Nov 2024; Accepted: 26 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Humer, Zeldovich, Probst and Pieh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Elke Humer, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems an der Donau, 3500, Lower Austria, Austria
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