Health correlates and health-related outcomes associated with smartphone-related addictive behaviors in older adults: a scoping review

Background Smartphones support communication, access to services, and social participation in later life, but a small and growing evidence base addresses patterns of use characterised by loss of control and functional interference among older adults. Objective To map the concepts, assessment tools, health correlates, and nursing-care implications reported for smartphone-related addictive behaviors in adults aged 60 years or older. Methods A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and reported with the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed were searched from inception to 3 June 2026, and the reference lists of included studies were screened. Eligible original studies involved adults aged 60 years or older and examined smartphone addiction, mobile phone dependence, problematic smartphone or mobile phone use, smartphone overdependence, or short-video-related addictive behaviors primarily undertaken through smartphones. Evidence was synthesized descriptively and interpreted according to study design, measurement applicability, and directness to nursing care. Results Twenty-two studies were included: 18 cross-sectional studies, 2 longitudinal studies, 1 randomized controlled trial, and 1 qualitative study. Concepts and measures were heterogeneous. Evidence was most concentrated for associations with poorer sleep quality, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and loneliness. Evidence concerning physical activity, instrumental activities of daily living, posture, visual fatigue, and social participation was more limited. Cognitive evidence was insufficient to support claims of decline. Direct intervention evidence was restricted to one small randomized trial reporting improvements in posture and neck function after home-based corrective exercise. The evidence base was geographically concentrated in China and other Asian settings, and age-stratified findings for the oldest-old were rarely reported. Conclusion Current evidence supports cautious clinical inquiry, assessment of problematic use, and balanced health education rather than formal screening or definitive intervention recommendations. Future work should validate later-life-specific definitions and assessment thresholds, use prospective multicenter designs, report age-subgroup findings, and test nursing-led interventions that measure both behavioral and health-related outcomes.