Background: Smartphone usage is gradually escalating among Indian adolescents, which is having adverse consequences on their health and well-being. Awareness regarding adverse health impacts of smartphone usage among adolescents is thus necessary.
Aims and Objectives: This study assessed the smartphone usage pattern and perception regarding its health effects among adolescents attending adolescent friendly health clinic (AFHC) at Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 187 adolescents from January to March 2023 at AFHC of Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata selected by systematic random sampling technique. Pre-designed self-administered questionnaire was utilized for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Factors associated with the duration of smartphone usage were analyzed using the Chi-square test.
Results: Smartphone was used by all the study participants (n = 187). A significant proportion has utilized smartphones for >3-year duration, whereas 114 (60.9%) used them for 1–2 h per day and 56 (29.9%) used them for ≥3 h per day. The major adverse health impacts of smartphone usage perceived by the participants were eye symptoms (64.2%), headache (50.8%), and neck pain (46.5%). Gender (χ2=12.98, df = 2, P = 0.0012), type of residence (χ2 = 7.98, df = 2, P = 0.018), and socioeconomic status (χ2 = 34.96, df = 2, P < 0.001) were factors significantly associated with the duration of smartphone usage per day.
Conclusion: Smartphone should be optimized to protect the physical and mental well-being of adolescents. Motivation and counselling regarding the adverse effects of smartphone usage is should be given the utmost priority. Generating awareness among parents at the community level through field health workers is also the need of the hour.
Key words: Adolescent; Health Effects; Smartphone Usage; Kolkata
|
