Publications

Background: Mobile phones and social media are a dominant force in the lives of adolescents and have even penetrated rural India. There is evidence of adverse health effects of excess screen time. Objective: The objective of the study was to estimate screen time and its associated factors among adolescents residing in a rural area near Bengaluru city. Methodology: Cross-sectional study among school-going adolescents aged 10–19 years in four schools in villages of Ramanagara district. Questionnaire administered to record sociodemographic details, family stressors, academic factors, and physical activity. Self-reported screen time was assessed, separately for each type of screen-based device. Associations between excess screen time (>2 h daily) and independent covariates was done using Chi-square test. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were calculated using multiple logistic regressions. Results: Screen-based devices were used by 91.3% of rural adolescents, mostly smartphones (63%), with purpose of gaming (56%) and social media (32.5%). Median daily screen time was 1 h (IQR=0.5, 2). Excess screen time was found in 17%. Excessive screen time was 9 times more likely among those who lived in hostel than at home (AOR=9.3[2.34–36.75], P = 0.002) and nearly 4 times higher among those who reported mental illness in the family (AOR=3.6 [1.50–8.82], P=0.004). Conclusion: Screen time beyond the permissible limit was found in almost one in every five rural-dwelling adolescents in our study, indicating a need for adolescents and their parents to be educated regarding the dangers of excessive screen time, and the need to limit the access and use of screens at home.