Is Screen Addiction a Problem Among Rural School-Going Adolescents? A Cross-Sectional Study in South Karnataka

Background: Media, including mobile phones, computers, and social media, is a dominant force in the lives of adolescents, and has now penetrated the rural areas. Screen addiction (SA) is a pathological compulsive use of screen-based devices. Objectives: To estimate SA and its associated factors among school-going adolescents residing in a rural area in South Karnataka. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents (10-19 years) in 4 schools of Solur Hobli, Ramanagara district, using a structured questionnaire including physical activity, family, and academic stressors. SA was assessed using Tao’s Diagnostic Criteria for Internet Addiction. Depression was screened using Physical Health Questionnaire-9. Chi-square test and logistic regression were done for factors associated with SA. Results: Of the 335 adolescents, 20% felt preoccupied with screens, 8% felt restless, moody, and irritable when not using them, 26% used screen devices as a way of escaping problems or relieving irritable mood, 12% had depression, and 3.9% had SA. SA was significantly higher among depressed subjects (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.18 [1.48-18.13], P = .010), males (AOR = 12.54 [1.46-109.9], P = .021), adolescents who felt that their parents fought frequently (AOR = 4.21 (1.17-15.09), P = 0.027), and adolescents who did not participate in sports (AOR = 3.82 (confidence interval: 1.04-14.06], P = 0.044). Conclusion: While proportion of rural students with SA is still low, we need to prevent this from developing into a public health issue by recognizing SA and depression among students and develop targeted interventions to manage the same, including increasing awareness among teachers and students about SA and its link with depression.