Health information delivery to patients at risk of having a small for gestational age/growth restricted baby in Aotearoa New Zealand: what can we learn from lived experience?

Generations are defined as cohorts of individuals born around the same years who share similar historical and social experiences. shaping comparable worldviews and behaviors []. Generation Z—here operationalized as individuals born in or after 2000—is widely described as the first generation to grow up in a fully digital environment []. As a result, Generation Z students engage intensively with smartphones and social media platforms and often prefer visual and instant forms of communication over traditional methods such as phone calls or email []. Although this technological fluency may offer functional advantages, it is also associated with emerging digital risks []. In particular, excessive technology engagement has been linked to behavioral addiction-like patterns, with social media addiction frequently discussed in this context. While it is not formally recognized as a disorder in DSM-5, problematic social media use has been described through addiction components such as salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse [, ]. Uncontrolled social media use can increasingly dominate daily routines and has been associated with musculoskeletal complaints, sleep disturbances, irritability, and reduced productivity [, ]. Sleep quality is a particularly critical outcome, given its central role in physical and mental health; nighttime screen exposure may delay sleep onset and reduce sleep duration and quality, contributing to fatigue, attentional difficulties, and cognitive impairments in young adults []. From an occupational therapy perspective, these patterns are also relevant to occupational balance, defined as maintaining a harmonious pattern of meaningful daily activities []. Disruptions in occupational balance are associated with lower life satisfaction, reduced performance, and poorer mental well-being []. For Generation Z, greater time spent in digital environments may constrain balance across social, academic, rest, and self-care domains, potentially undermining overall quality of life [, ]. Consistent with this view, recent findings have reported a positive correlation between sleep duration and occupational balance, and a negative correlation between smartphone usage time and occupational balance among young adults []. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between social media addiction, sleep quality, and occupational balance among Generation Z university students, aiming to inform preventive strategies that support healthier digital habits and more balanced daily routines. This study was designed to examine the relationship between social media addiction. sleep quality. and occupational balance among Generation Z university students. This study was approved by the Hamidiye Scientific Research Ethics Committee of University of Health Sciences, Türkiye (Approval No: 23/7–7/1; Date: 07 April 2023), and was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The sample consisted of 136 participants who were currently enrolled in a university program and were born in or after the year 2000. The minimum required sample size was calculated as 134 based on a 0.05 margin of error and 0.95 confidence level. The participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method. Data collection was facilitated through digital platforms such as university-based social media and messaging groups to reach eligible and accessible participants efficiently.