Relationship between digital media use and anxiety in college students during the COVID - 19 outbreak

Objective To describe digital media use in college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Methods A structured self-administered electronic questionnaire was designed and admin istered during February 4 to 12, 2020, collecting information on the use time of digital media and anxiety symptoms of college students in China during the COVID -19 outbreak. Data was analyzed by Chi-square test, univariate and multivariate Logistic regression models. Results A total of 11 787 university students were recruited. The detection rate of anxiety symptoms was 17.8%. The percentages of screen time ≤2, >2–4 and >4 h/d were 21.3%, 31.4% and 47.3%. The proportions of mobile phone use time ≤2, >2-4 and >4 h/d were 14.6%, 33.2% and 52.3%. The proportion of browsing information regarding COVID-19 ≤ 1, 1-2 and >2 h/d were 66.6%, 19.4% and 13.9%. The results of Logistic regression analysis revealed that the detection rate of anxiety symptoms was lower among the students having 2-4 h/d of screen time ( OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.61-0.81), but higher among the students having more than 4 h/ d of screen time ( OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.00-1.28) compared with those having ≤2 h/d of video usage time. Compared with the mobile phone usage ≤2 h/d group, the detection rate was lower among >2-4 h/d group ( OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.66-0.91). However, anxiety symptoms were more likely to occur in the group of > 4 h/d ( OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.04- 1.39). The detection of anxiety symptoms was higher in the group with more browsing time. The OR for anxiety symptoms detection rate was 1.55 (1.38-1.75) among the students with > 1-2 h/d of browsing information regarding COVID-19 and 2.15 (1.89-2.44) among the students with >2 h/d of browsing information regarding COVID-19 compared with those with ≤1 h/d of browsing information regarding COVID-19. Conclusion During the epidemic period, the use of >2-4 h/d digital media helps to reduce the occurrence of anxiety symptoms. But the use of computers and mobile phones for more than 4 h/d is associated with higher level of anxiety symptoms among college students. Less screen time spent on fact-checking on COVID-19 might help reduce anxiety sympotoms among college students. 【摘要】 目的 了解新型冠状病毒肺炎 (COVID-19)疫情期间大学生数字媒体使用情况, 为缓解大学生焦虑情绪提供参 考依据。 方法 设计并发放结构化自填电子问卷, 2020 年 2 月 4—12 日收集疫情期间中国 16 个省、市、自治区大学生数字 媒体使用时间与焦虑症状自评等信息, 采用妒检验、单因素和多因素Logistic回归模型分析不同类型数字媒体使用时间与 焦虑症状的关联。 结果 11 787 名大学生焦虑症状检出率为17.8%, 视屏时间 ≤2、>2~4 和 >4 h/d 的比例分别为 21.3%, 31.4% 和 47.3%;手机使用时间 ≤2、>2~4 和 >4 h/d 的比例分别为 14.6%, 33.2% 和 52.3%; 浏览 COVID-19 相关信息 ≤1、 >1~2 和 >2 h/d 的比例分别为 66.6%, 19.4% 和 13.9%。多因素 Logistic 回归分析结果显示, 相比于视屏时间 ≥2 h/d 组, > 2 ~4 h/d 的大学生焦虑症状检出率更低 ( OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.61 ~ 0.81), >4 h/d 的大学生更容易发生焦虑症状 ( OR =1.13, 95% CI =1.00~1.28); 相比于手机使用时间 ≤2 h/d 组, >2~4 h/d 的大学生焦虑症状检出率更低 ( OR = 0.78, 95% CI =0.66~ 0.91), >4 h/d 的大学生更容易发生焦虑症状 ( OR =1.20, 95% CI = 1.04~ 1.39); 随着浏览时间的增加焦虑症状检出风险增 髙, 浏览 COVID-19 相关信息时间>1~2 和 >2 h/d 组 [ OR 值 ( OR 值 95% CI )分别为 1.55 (1.38 ~ 1.75), 2.15 (1.89 ~ 2.44)]。 结论 疫情期间>2〜4 h/d 数字媒体使用有助于减少焦虑症状的发生, 但电脑和手机使用时间>4 h/d 均会增加大学生焦 虑症状的发生风险, 每日浏览 COVID-19 相关信息的时间越少越好。