[Family health and technologies: new findings in adolescents].

Abstract

Background: Technologies are important tools and their immoderate use causes alterations in the family system; the main users of technologies are the youngest members. The association between its problematic use and perceived family health in adolescents is unknown.

Objective: o determine the association between self-perception of family health status and the problematic use of new technologies in adolescents.

Material and methods: Analytical, cross-sectional, observational study. It included 370 adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age, technology users, of both sexes; those in behavioral therapy, addictions or psychiatric treatment were excluded; those who did not complete the surveys were eliminated. Sociodemographic data were collected; the associations between perception of family health and problematic use of 4 technologies (television, video games, cell phone and internet) were analyzed with chi square or Fisher's exact test, depending on the situation.

Results: A good state of family health prevailed among adolescents (84.1%). It was found a problematic use of cell phone (66.8%). Good family health is associated with non-problematic use of video games (p = 0.003) and television (p < 0.0001). Problematic cell phone use was associated with family health (p = 0.046). The low-middle economic level (61.9%), secondary school (51.6%) and female participation (54.6%) predominated.

Conclusion: Family health status is associated with the use of video games, cell phones and television.