IPROC iproc Iproceedings 2369-6893 JMIR Publications Toronto, Canada v3i1e7 10.2196/iproc.8305 Abstract Abstract Development of a Monitoring System for Smartphone Overuse Hale Timothy Li Jiang Ass Prof Dr med 1
School of Public Health Fudan University PO Box 248 138 Yixueyuan Road Shanghai, China 86 154237509 lijiang_fd@fudan.edu.cn
2 3 4 http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6298-2036 Bi Siguo PhD 5 Ding Jiao-Er MA, MPH 1 Lan Yukun MA, MPH 1 Fu Hua 1 1 School of Public Health Fudan University Shanghai China 2 Health Communication Institute Fudan University Shanghai China 3 The Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety Fudan University Shanghai China 4 Fudan-Pudong Preventive Medicine Institute Shanghai China 5 School of Computer Science Fudan University Shanghai China Corresponding Author: Jiang Li lijiang_fd@fudan.edu.cn Jan-Dec 2017 22 09 2017 3 1 e7 27 6 2017 22 8 2017 ©Jiang Li, Siguo Bi, Jiao-Er Ding, Yukun Lan, Hua Fu. Originally published in Iproceedings (http://www.iproc.org), 22.09.2017. 2017

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 Background

Smartphone overuse has become an epidemic public health concern around the world. Nowadays, the measurement of smartphone overuse, which comes to be known as smartphone addiction, is still relying on self-reported questionnaire. However, this leads to inaccuracy and it cannot perform continual measurement.

 Objective

The aim of this study is to develop an IT based system monitoring daily usage behavior of smartphone automatically, which was named Smartphone Overuse Monitoring System (SOMS).

 Methods

The monitoring system consists of an Android Smartphone application (SOMS App) and a web application server. The App was designed to fulfill the following core functions: 1. To collect users’ general demographic data and identify the IMEI of smartphones; 2. To monitor using behavior and assess smartphone overuse; 3. To give instant feedback to users. The web server stores the data collected by the App and execute statistical analysis.

 Results

We invited 11 participants to test the SOMS. The users were asked to fill out a short questionnaire at the first logon, which includes demographic information, such as name, sex, age etc. The SOMS App recorded the smartphone behavior as follows: power on/off, call in/out, screening on/off/unlock, programs usage. The data of program usage include which app and how long it was used. Once a day, the participants received a notification of the smartphone usage statistics for the last 24 hours. The users can also find key messages from the interface of the SOMS App, such as the top 10 most frequently and longest used Apps. Moreover, the SOMS App draws a fragment map, which illustrates the interrupted daily life by smartphone.

 Conclusions

The monitoring system can tally the length and frequency of smartphone use and analyze the most influential Apps on people’s daily life. It is not only significant for the screening of smartphone overuse but also for the development of intervention strategy.

 activity monitoring app behavior, addictive/*prevention & control psychometrics smartphone Multimedia Appendix 1

Full poster.