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An Examination of Digital Media and Device-Related Problems in Pediatric Hospital Visits for Psychiatric Crises
Meredith Gansner1,2, Prakruthi Nikam2, William Wang2
1University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York.
Objective:
Despite growing concerns about mental health effects of youth digital media use, the frequency of digital media/device-related problems (DMRPs) amid pediatric psychiatric crises is unknown. This study leverages the electronic medical record system of a large pediatric hospital to provide a descriptive analysis of DMRPs associated with pediatric psychiatric crises, including different DMRP subtypes. Consistent with existing research on problematic digital media use, we expected to find greater frequency of presentations involving DMRPs in older adolescents as well as sex-based differences in specific DMRP subtypes.
Method:
A retrospective chart review was performed examining psychiatric consultation notes from all youth 6 to 17 years of age who presented to the hospital in psychiatric crisis in 2021 or 2022. Age, biological sex, race/ethnicity, and psychiatric diagnoses were recorded from each initial psychiatric consultation note. All encounters were assessed for presence of a DMRP within the presentation, coded under 5 primary subtypes. Relationships between variables of interest and DMRPs were assessed using regression models.
Results:
There were 3,710 encounters that met inclusion criteria, representing 2,889 unique patients (average age, 13.5 years). Of the total encounters, 711 (19.2%) featured a type of DMRP. Youth with presentations including DMRPs were significantly older in age and more likely to have a mood disorder diagnosis. Compared to male patients, female patients were significantly less likely to present with crises related to device/digital media access and excessive device use, but were more likely to have presented because of high-risk online sexual behaviors/relationships.
Conclusion:
Our findings support the need to assess for problematic digital media and device use during pediatric crisis evaluations. In addition, demographic differences in crisis presentations that involve DMRPs can guide development of targeted screening recommendations for specific types of problematic digital media/device use.
