Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background Smartphone addiction and sleep disturbances are growing public health concerns, yet multinational data from the Arab region remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of smartphone addiction and insomnia and identify their associated factors among adults in four Arab countries. Methods A multinational cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2026 across Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Participants were recruited via online convenience sampling using social media platforms. The survey utilized the validated Arabic versions of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent associated factors. Results The final analysis included 1,823 eligible adults (mean age 24.1 ± 7.8 years; 57.1% female). The sample was predominantly composed of students (72.0%) residing in urban areas (82.1%). The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 71.6%, and the prevalence of insomnia was 73.7%. Average daily phone use was 6.5 ± 2.5 hours. In the multivariable analysis, sufficient family income with savings was associated with lower odds of smartphone addiction (AOR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.79), while a pre-existing psychiatric disorder was associated with higher odds (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.54). For insomnia, smartphone addiction had the strongest association with insomnia (AOR = 3.23; 95% CI: 2.57, 4.07). Additionally, pre-existing psychiatric disorders were associated with higher odds of insomnia (AOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.71), whereas male sex (AOR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.75), older age (AOR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99), and sufficient income with savings (AOR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.99) were associated with lower odds. Conclusions Smartphone addiction and insomnia were highly prevalent in this sample of adults from the Arab region. Smartphone addiction was independently associated with higher odds of insomnia, while socioeconomic and psychiatric factors were associated with both conditions. Nevertheless, the use of online convenience sampling limits the generalizability of these findings to the broader Arab population.