Screen-based Media Use and Its Association with Adolescent Health in a District of Haryana: A School-based Cross-sectional Study

Background: The ubiquity of digital screens has become an integral aspect of daily life. The extensive use of electronic devices has raised concerns about the potential consequences on the health and wellbeing of school-going adolescents. This study aimed to assess the pattern of screen-based media (SBM) use and its physical and psychosocial effects on adolescent health. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among school-going students of 8 th to 12 th class of two government and two private co-ed senior secondary schools in the urban area of the district of Rohtak, Haryana. A total of 400 students were selected, 100 students from each school and 20 students from each class, using a multistage sampling technique. Statistical analysis used: The data were compiled and entered into an MS Excel spreadsheet, and analysis was carried out by SPSS v20.0. Results: Out of the 400 students, 70.2% had an excessive screen time (>2 hrs/day), and the median screen time was 3.14 hours/day. The majority of the study subjects had mobile phones (91.5%) at home. 29% of the study participants experienced eye strain, followed by headache (18.5%), dry eyes (11.2%), reading difficulty (8.8%), and ocular pain (8.5%). A significant association was observed between age, type of school, parent education, availability of personal smartphones, family rules regarding TV, and excessive screen time. Conclusions: A high proportion of adolescents had a screen time higher than the recommended. We should recommend healthy and appropriate use of SBM.