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Abstract

Mobile phones are widely used by medical students as communication and learning tools but may act as potential vectors for pathogen transmission. This study aimed to assess microbial contamination of mobile phones and the hygiene awareness of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Pattimura. This study involved 117 respondents. Data on phone hygiene practices were collected through a structured questionnaire, while swab samples from phone surfaces were cultured and evaluated semi-quantitatively for colony growth and morphology. Results showed that although most students acknowledged that microbes can live on mobile phones and considered phone hygiene important for health, their actual practices were suboptimal. Frequent behaviors included bringing phones into bathrooms, using them while eating, and rarely washing hands before use. Laboratory analysis revealed that all phone samples yielded microbial growth with diverse colony morphologies, indicating the potential presence of both bacterial and fungal contaminants. These findings highlight a gap between knowledge and behavior among medical students, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions to improve phone hygiene practices and reduce the risk of microbial transmission in healthcare settings.

Keywords

Mobile Phone Hygiene Microbial Contamination Medical Student

Article Details

References

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