The association between sociodemographic determinants and nomophobia among physiotherapists in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Nomophobia is a psychological condition characterized by fear or anxiety resulting from being without access to a mobile phone. It is increasingly prevalent among healthcare professionals due to their high reliance on mobile technology. However, limited data exist regarding the prevalence and severity of nomophobia, specifically among physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia. The Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) was administered via SurveyMonkey, targeting a convenience sample of physiotherapists between April 30 and June 27, 2023. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 28.0. Categorical variables were summarized using frequencies and percentages. The Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests were employed to compare median NMP-Q scores across participant subgroups. A total of 1003 physiotherapists participated, with 579 (57.7%) females. The prevalence of nomophobia was 99.6%. The Kruskal-Wallis Test showed that the age group 51-60 years had the highest NMP-Q scores (Md = 99, x² (4, N = 1003) = 57.31, p < .001) in comparison to other age groups. The female group was higher in total scores on the NMP-Q questionnaire (Md = 94, x² (1, N = 1003) = 25.41, p < .001) compared to the male group (Md = 87, x² (1, N = 1003) = 25.41, p < .001). Physiotherapists with clinical experience between 16 and 20 years and night shift workers were the highest in total scores on the NMP-Q questionnaire (Md = 96, x² = 62.87; Md = 94, x² = 36.79, p < .001, respectively) compared to other groups with different levels of clinical experience and shift patterns. Being divorced, a current smoker, and living with roommates were highly scored levels of nomophobia compared with categorized sub-groups. Nomophobia is highly prevalent among physiotherapists, with most reporting moderate levels. Interventions to promote balanced mobile phone use and digital well-being are recommended to improve mental health, job satisfaction, and productivity, fostering a healthier work environment.