| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 1
| Issue : 1 | Page : 20-24 |
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Increase in screen-time for children during COVID times and its effects
S Muhammad Salim Khan, Sabira Aalia Dkhar, Ruqia Quansar, Inaamul Haq
Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Correspondence Address:
Sabira Aalia Dkhar
Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar 190010, Jammu and Kashmir
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/JIMPH.JIMPH_1_22
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INTRODUCTION: Children born today see a totally changed world. They are well experienced and exposed to technology. They have a lot of dependencies and needs on the Internet and technology in the form of educational help, recreational, or even entertainment. This kind of predisposition to digital screens has recently increased with lockdown all over the world, leading to many complications in different spheres of health like mental, physical, social, and others. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. The data collection was done using an online questionnaire, which was pretested in a pilot study and then later was done through Google forms. The parents of children using mobile phones and having access to the Internet were contacted and included in the study population. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPPS version 20. RESULTS: Approximately 307 parents participated in the study. Positive association was seen between increase screen time and children having personal device (P = 0.001), with increase of age (P = 0.000), where parents felt that the child was addicted (P = 0.032), with children having impact on physical heath (P = 0.000), maximum screen time allowed without causing health concern (P = 0.000), and preference of online educational app (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Though the digital medium can be beneficial in many ways, providing access to quality education even during these unclear times, however increased exposure to the screen can be harmful to a child’s health in many ways. |
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