Associations of phubbing behavior and state anxiety with procedural pain perception in women undergoing intrauterine insemination

Abstract To evaluate the relationship between phubbing behavior, state anxiety, and procedural pain perception in women undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI). This prospective cross-sectional analytical study included 50 women undergoing IUI. Phubbing behavior was assessed using the Generic Phubbing Scale Short Form, state anxiety using the STAI-State form, and procedural pain using a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS). Correlation, group comparison, multivariable linear regression, and exploratory indirect-effect analyses were performed. The median phubbing score was 29.0 (25.0–38.0), while mean STAI-State and VAS scores were 38.1 ± 8.5 and 4.1 ± 1.4, respectively. Phubbing scores differed significantly according to daily phone use duration and bedtime phone-use frequency (both p < 0.001). VAS scores were also significantly different across daily phone use and bedtime phone-use categories ( p = 0.037 and p = 0.011, respectively). Phubbing was positively correlated with STAI-State (ρ = 0.398, p = 0.004) and VAS scores (ρ = 0.494, p < 0.001). STAI-State showed a strong positive correlation with VAS pain scores ( r = 0.771, p < 0.001). In exploratory multivariable regression, phubbing remained independently associated with STAI-State score (B = 0.3774, p = 0.003) and VAS pain score (B = 0.0421, p = 0.008). STAI-State was also independently associated with VAS pain score (B = 0.0947, p < 0.001). Exploratory indirect-effect analysis identified a significant indirect statistical association between phubbing and VAS pain involving STAI-State (B = 0.0357, 95% CI 0.0141–0.0626). Phubbing behavior was associated with higher state anxiety and procedural pain during IUI, and the phubbing–pain association included a significant indirect statistical component involving state anxiety.