NOMOPHOBIA AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE HEALTH FIELD: A NARRATIVE REVIEW ON THE IMPACT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Nomophobia, a term derived from the English expression no-mobile phone phobia, refers to the irrational fear or anguish caused by the lack of access to a cell phone or the internet. In a context of hyperconnectivity, university students, especially in the health field, have shown greater vulnerability to this condition, which can directly impact their emotional well-being and academic performance. To analyze recent scientific production on nomophobia among university students in the health field, with an emphasis on the impacts of this condition on academic performance. This is a narrative review of the literature with a qualitative approach. The search was carried out between March and April 2025 in the SciELO, Lilacs and Google Scholar databases, using descriptors in Portuguese and English combined with Boolean operators. Articles published between 2021 and 2025, available free of charge, written in Portuguese, English or Spanish were included. After screening by reading titles, abstracts and full texts, eight studies comprised the final corpus. Data analysis was conducted using the thematic and categorical analysis technique, according to Minayo (2021). The studies analyzed indicate that nomophobia is associated with symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, low academic performance, procrastination, and attention and memory difficulties. In addition, vulnerability factors such as low self-esteem, emotional instability, and digital dependence stand out. The phenomenon is also related to behaviors such as phubbing and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), negatively affecting interpersonal relationships and the educational performance of health students. Nomophobia is an emerging challenge in the university context, requiring greater attention from the academic community and health professionals. Understanding its multiple dimensions is essential for the development of strategies to prevent and promote mental health among health students.