Has Smartphone Use Influenced Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan?

Trinh Xuan Thi Nguyen, Sumeet Lal, Sulemana Abdul-Salam, Pattaphol Yuktadatta, Louis McKinnon, Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan () and Yoshihiko Kadoya
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Trinh Xuan Thi Nguyen: School of Economics, Hiroshima University, 1-2-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 7398525, Japan
Sumeet Lal: School of Economics, Hiroshima University, 1-2-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 7398525, Japan
Sulemana Abdul-Salam: School of Economics, Hiroshima University, 1-2-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 7398525, Japan
Pattaphol Yuktadatta: School of Economics, Hiroshima University, 1-2-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 7398525, Japan
Louis McKinnon: Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley, 530 Evans Hall # 3880, Berkeley, CA 94720-3880, USA
Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan: School of Economics, Hiroshima University, 1-2-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 7398525, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: The influence of smartphone use on increased risk of feeling lonely has been recognized as a global public health concern. However, it is unclear whether this influence has changed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, during which smartphones have become a particularly important means of communication due to health safety measures restricting personal interactions. We used Hiroshima University’s online survey data collected from 18–28 February 2022, to assess the impact of smartphone use on loneliness in Japan. The final sample included 2630 participants aged over 20 years, with loneliness measured using the UCLA scale and smartphone use calculated as the duration of usage in minutes/day. Weighted logit regression analysis was used to examine the association between smartphone use and loneliness, with other demographic, socioeconomic, and psychological characteristics as explanatory variables. Contrary to conventional evidence, our findings show that smartphone use mitigated the risk of loneliness during the pandemic. This was especially true among females under 65 years old. We found that age, subjective health status, future anxiety, and depression impacted this relationship. The findings of this study can help guide policymaking by showing the importance of providing adequate digital platforms to manage loneliness and mental health during times of isolation.

Keywords: loneliness; smartphone; COVID-19 pandemic; Japan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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