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Prevalence of excessive screen time in hospitalized pediatric patients
Guilherme Hoff Affeldt1, Gleice Medeiros2, Vanessa Vieira2
1Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Insights
Hospitalized children use screens excessively, exceeding home use. High home screen time, lower caregiver education, and better child functionality predict this increased screen exposure.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Digital Media Use
- Child Development
Background:
- Screen time is prevalent in children's lives.
- Understanding screen time patterns in hospitalized children is crucial for health.
- Adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) screen time guidelines is often low.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of screen time among hospitalized children.
- To identify factors associated with excessive screen use during hospitalization.
- To compare screen time during hospitalization versus at home.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional quantitative study in a Brazilian pediatric inpatient unit (March 2022 - April 2023).
- 260 children participated, with data collected via questionnaires for family members and electronic health records.
- Questionnaires assessed screen time (hospital and home), physical activity, functionality, and socioeconomic/demographic factors.
Main Results:
- Hospitalized children averaged 270 minutes of daily screen time, significantly higher than at home.
- Excessive home screen time, better patient functionality, and lower caregiver education levels predicted higher hospitalization screen use.
- A minority of children met WHO recommended screen time limits.
Conclusions:
- Hospitalized children exhibit excessive screen device use, often exceeding recommended limits.
- High pre-hospital screen time, lower caregiver education, and preserved child functionality are key predictors.
- Interventions may be needed to manage screen time in pediatric hospital settings.
Objective:
This study aimed to understand the prevalence of screen time in hospitalized children and identify factors predicting excessive screen use during hospitalization.
Methods:
This cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with patients from the Pediatric Inpatient Unit of a Brazilian hospital, from March 2022 to April 2023. A total of 260 children were included. Family members completed questionnaires about screen time during hospitalization and at home, as well as providing information on physical activity and functionality. Socioeconomic and demographic details were obtained from electronic records.
Results:
During hospitalization, children spent a median of 270 min per day on screens, significantly more than at home. Excessive screen time at home, better patient functionality, and lower caregiver education levels were significant predictors of excessive screen use during hospitalization.
Conclusion:
Excessive use of screen devices among hospitalized children, with only a minority adhering to the World Health Organization's screen time recommendations. Key predictors of excessive screen use included high screen time at home, lower caregiver education levels, and preserved child functionality.
