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Screen use in pediatric cancer patients: A hospital-based study
Shujing Wang1, Haoran Sun2, Ruijie Shan3
1School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Insights
Pediatric cancer patients often exceed recommended screen time limits, with over half using devices for more than two hours daily. Parental distress and lack of limits contribute to increased screen use in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Digital Health
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Screen use is ubiquitous in children's lives, but its patterns and influencing factors in pediatric cancer patients undergoing active treatment are not well understood.
- Understanding screen time habits is crucial for supporting the well-being of children with cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the patterns of screen use among pediatric cancer patients undergoing active treatment.
- To identify factors associated with excessive screen time in this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 225 pediatric cancer patients and their parents in Jinan City.
- Data collected included children's screen use (home and hospital), parental mediation, parental psychological distress, and sociodemographic/condition-related information.
- Binary logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with screen time.
Main Results:
- The median daily screen time was 2.57 hours, with 56.9% of children exceeding the 2-hour guideline.
- Short-form video consumption was the most prevalent activity.
- Longer screen time was significantly linked to higher parental psychological distress, critical health conditions in children, and fewer parental limits on screen use (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Screen use is prevalent among pediatric cancer patients, with a majority exceeding recommended guidelines.
- Parental psychological distress, child's critical condition, and parental mediation strategies are significant factors influencing screen time duration.
- Healthcare providers should offer educational and psychosocial support to parents to establish healthy digital habits for children with cancer.
Background:
Screen use has become an integral part of children's daily lives, yet little is known about its patterns and associated factors among pediatric cancer patients undergoing active treatment.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 225 pediatric cancer patients and their parents from three tertiary hospitals in Jinan City between March and June 2023. Parents completed questionnaires on their children's screen use over the six months preceding the survey, covering both home and hospital settings, as well as parental mediation, parental psychological distress, sociodemographic and condition-related information. Children's screen use was described and factors associated with screen time were analyzed using binary logistic regression.
Results:
The median daily screen time was 2.57 h (range: 0.14-14.71), with 56.9 % of children exceeding the two-hour guideline. Watching short-form videos was the most common activity. Longer screen time was significantly associated with higher parental psychological distress, children's history of critical conditions, and a lack of parental limits on screen use (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Screen use is widespread among pediatric cancer patients, with more than half exceeding the two-hour guideline. Parental mediation, parental psychological distress, and children's critical conditions were key factors influencing longer screen use.
Implications For Practice:
The findings highlight the need for healthcare practitioners to provide educational and psychosocial support to help parents set appropriate screen time boundaries and encourage healthy digital engagement among pediatric cancer patients.
