Do children need humans or screen? Institutional-based cross-sectional study

Introduction: Screen exposure is on the rise and has been virtually unavoidable in the post-Covid era. Screen exposure during the critical period of brain development results in delayed language, learning and behaviour problems and subsequent sedentary lifestyle results in non-communicable disease later in life.Objectives: To assess the burden of digital screen exposure and parental perceptions of its effects in children.Method: This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 1-13 years in a tertiary healthcare centre in Puducherry, India, from April 2022 to June 2022. Data were collected using the Digital Screen Exposure Questionnaire (DSEQ), administered by trained Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) after pilot testing.Results: Our study shows that the prevalence of excessive screen exposure (>1 hour) was 25% during weekdays and 44.9% during weekends. The most common media used was television (TV) in 92.8%, closely followed by smart phones in 90%. Most frequently watched content (>5 times/ week) was random things for enjoyment in 57.8% followed by rhymes in 25.7%; 57.1% had no outside play during weekdays. Mother’s education was the main predictor which influenced the duration of screen exposure in study participants.Conclusions: Our study shows that the prevalence of excessive screen exposure (>1 hour) was 25% during weekdays and 44.9% during weekends. Common media used were TV in 92.8% and smart phones in 90%. Except for mother’s education, no other socio-demographic factor influenced the duration of screen exposure in study participants. There was excessive screen exposure in children despite parental perception of its harmful effects