Usage Of Electronic Devices Research Articles

Subjective Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with Electronic Device Usage by Healthcare Professionals

Introduction. In modern conditions of rapid development of information and communication technologies, healthcare workers start experiencing adverse health effects of such risk factors as an uncontrolled use of electronic devices and associated physical inactivity, sleep deprivation, and impaired work/rest patterns during their professional training. Our purpose was to study subjective assessment of risks from electronic device usage by medical workers. Methods. A specially developed questionnaire was distributed among 148 doctors, 72 nurses and paramedics, and 119 professors of medical universities. In addition to that, selective measurements of body composition were taken in homogeneous cohorts of female healthcare professionals serving as teachers of clinical departments of medical universities (33) or nurses (36) who gave an informed consent to participate in the study and filled out the questionnaire. The statistical software package Statistica 13 PL (StatSoft, USA) was used for statistical data processing. Results. In general, the respondents gave an adequate assessment of health effects of electronic device usage. Nurses and paramedics appeared to be the least trained in issues of the safe use of electronic devices. Almost 61 % of them had varying degrees of overweight and obesity; yet, 51.4 % of nurses and paramedics rated their health as good being aware of the risks related to overweight. Medical university staff adequately assessed potential health risks and demonstrated better skills of a safe use of electronic devices in everyday life, payed more attention to their physical activity and nutrition, and were committed to developing appropriate competencies in their students. Conclusion. Development of skills of a risk-free electronic device usage in healthcare professionals should begin in a medical school.

A comparative density functional theory study of oxygen doping versus adsorption on graphene to tune its band gap

Graphene, having a perfect two-dimensional crystal structure, has many excellent features such as a high specific surface area, and extraordinary electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. However, its usage in electronic devices is possible only if band gap of desired value is induced in this gapless semi-metal. Therefore, first principle calculations have been carried out to investigate the role of oxygen (O) doping versus adsorption and, the impurity concentration and coverage to induce band gap in graphene employing PBE at GGA level. The band gap is induced owing to production of vacancies, dissociative adsorption of oxygen, subsituational doping and pre-dissociated oxygen adsorption. It is interesting to note that band gap is introduced by both the processes of doping and adsorption of O. The oxygen doping leads to induction of two energy gaps, smaller in value above and larger below the Fermi level; while adsorption irrespective of adsorption configuration produces single direct gap. Increase both in concentration and coverage leads to enhance band gap value maximum being 1.85 eV in case of hexagonal doping of 12.5% concentration with an exception in adsorption case. The results allow us to conclude that adsorption is as useful as doping to tune the band gap in graphene enabling its applications in designing high performance electronic devices.

Effect of E-learning on public health and environment during COVID-19 lockdown

E-learning is the most promising venture in the entire world. During the COVID-19 lockdown, e-learning is successfully providing potential information to the students and researchers. In developing nations like India, with limited resources, e-learning tools and platforms provide a chance to make education available to middle and low income households. This paper gives insights about three different online services, namely Google Classroom, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams being used by three different educational institutions. We aim to analyze the efficiency and acceptability of e-learning tools among Indian students during the COVID-19 lockdown. The paper also aims to evaluate the impact of e-learning on the environment and public health during COVID-19 lockdown. It is found that e-learning has potential to reduce carbon emissions, which has beneficial impact on the environment. However, the mental health is impacted as e-learning may lead to self-isolation and reduction in academic achievements that may lead to anxiety and mental depression. Due to usage of electronic devices for learning, the eyes and neck muscles may be put in strain, having deleterious effects on physical health.

Changes of evening exposure to electronic devices during the COVID-19 lockdown affect the time course of sleep disturbances.

Study ObjectivesDuring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, there was a worldwide increase in electronic devices’ daily usage. Prolonged exposure to backlit screens before sleep influences the circadian system leading to negative consequences on sleep health. We investigated the relationship between changes in evening screen exposure and the time course of sleep disturbances during the home confinement period due to COVID-19.Methods2,123 Italians (mean age ± standard deviation, 33.1 ± 11.6) were tested longitudinally during the third and the seventh week of lockdown. The web-based survey evaluated sleep quality and insomnia symptoms through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Insomnia Severity Index. The second assessment survey inquired about intervening changes in backlit screen exposure in the two hours before falling asleep.ResultsParticipants who increased electronic device usage showed decreased sleep quality, exacerbated insomnia symptoms, reduced sleep duration, prolonged sleep onset latency, and delayed bedtime and rising time. In this subgroup, the prevalence of poor sleepers and individuals reporting moderate/severe insomnia symptoms increased. Conversely, respondents reporting decreased screen exposure exhibited improved sleep quality and insomnia symptoms. In this subgroup, the prevalence of poor sleepers and moderate/severe insomniacs decreased. Respondents preserving screen time habits did not show variations of the sleep parameters.ConclusionsOur investigation demonstrated a strong relationship between modifications of evening electronic device usage and time course of sleep disturbances during the lockdown period. Monitoring the potential impact of excessive evening exposure to backlit screens on sleep health is recommendable during the current period of restraining measures due to COVID-19.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Teens Belonging to a Social Media Group

Aims: To evaluate the psychological impact of COVID-19 on teens in a small WhatsApp group from Chennai. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised of teenagers, aged 12 to 20 years, who belong to a WhatsApp group. The questions were framed and developed based on the transitional impact scale which has high test–retest reliability. Through the WhatsAppgroup, the teens were informed about the survey. Those who were willing to participate were provided the website link to fill the questionnaire. Fisher's exact tests were used to assess differences in proportions wherever applicable. Results: Among the 320 participants, 16.7% of them were boys and 83.3% were girls, and the mean age of boys and girls was 16.2 ± 2.1years and 15.6 ± 1.8 years, respectively. More than 40% of teens expressed that they often felt stressed out. Teens of both the genders reported getting irritated by small normal things (34.1%), thought they were helpless (32.8%), sometimes they felt like a burden to people around them (27.8%), and 36.9% reported feeling lonely or left out often. Regarding usage of electronic devices, 47.7% of girls and 58.5% of boys were always on any one of the electronic devices like mobiles, tabs, laptops, television, etc. Similarly, more than 50% of the boys and 60% of the girls slept 6–8h during this pandemic situation. Conclusion: This study shows that this life-changing transitional event has made a massive impact on the daily routine of these teenagers. Parents, health care professionals, and educators have to make sure that the teens come to terms with the current realities of the situation and to make use of the government support programs.

Perspective of E-Waste in Concrete: A review

In this digital era, usage of electric and electronic devices has become the need of people. Evolution of technology triggers the adoption of new devices over old and discarded appliances turned into the electronic wastes also termed as e-waste/s. E-waste from any source has become a major concern to the society. The disposal of these wastes into the landfills causes many hazardous impacts to the ecosystem. As a promising solution construction industry can utilize the e-wastes effectively. The wastes may be used either as fine filler or aggregates in concrete and bituminous based constructions efficiently. Usage of waste/s conserves the natural resources also. Present study magnifies the scenario of application of electronic wastes in different forms i.e., plastic, metal etc. in bituminous and concrete based mixtures. A critical review has been carried the effects of electronic wastes in concrete and bituminous mixes and findings confirm the praxis of electronic wastes is possible within certain limits.

Gender differences in associating musculoskeletal complaints, housework, electronic device usage and physical exercise for administrative workers

Objectives. This study assessed musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs) in administrative workers, associating MSCs with non-paid housework, home use of electronic devices and physical exercise, while keeping a distinctive gender approach. This may promote the development of more effective preventive measures, by meeting the specific strengths and weaknesses of each gender. Methods. Ninety-six administrative workers (58 women and 38 men) who used computers more than 50% of their working time participated in a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire concerning individual socio-demographic data, habits and lifestyle, and including the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ), was deployed. Gender-based odds ratios for MSCs in body areas over the previous 12 months and correlation coefficients between habits and lifestyle variables and NMQ variables were computed. Results. Women did not incur a higher risk of MSCs than men. Analysis of the association did not yield meaningful associations for either gender. Results suggest giving future consideration to development of gender-specific preventive measures. Conclusion. Computerized work performed concomitantly with physical exposures outside the workplace showed mixed associations with MSCs, according to gender and depending on the kind of exposure. Results are indicative of the need for development of gender-specific preventive measures.

Associations Among Screen Time, Sleep Duration and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents

ObjectivesRelatively few studies have explored the inter-relationship between screen time (ST), sleep duration and depressive symptoms. The study herein sought to determine (1) the relationships between ST, sleep duration and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents; (2) whether sleep duration mediates the relationships between ST and depressive symptoms. Methods1st grade students (n=1,976) from ten high schools in Guangzhou, China were invited through cluster sampling between January and April 2019. Self-reported ST with electronic devices and Internet, sleep duration, and The Center for Epidemiology Scale for Depression (CES-D) score were collected. Generalized mixed linear models and mediation analyses were conducted. ResultsThere were 1,956 self-reported questionnaires received (response rate: 98.99%). Approximately 25% (471/1,929 for Internet use, 399/1,928 for electronic device) of the total sample reported ST >2 hours/day. Approximately 8.9% (169/1,894) reported a CES-D score >28. Longer ST with electronic devices (estimate=0.52, 95%CI: 0.24~0.80), Internet usage (estimate=0.82, 95%CI: 0.53~1.11) were positively associated with depressive symptoms, while less sleep (estimate=-1.85, 95%CI: -2.27~-1.43) was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. There is significant indirect effect of electronic device usage on depressive symptoms through sleep duration (indirect effect=0.08, 95%CI: 0.01~0.15). LimitationsThis study only included school students from Guangzhou. Causal relationship cannot be inferred by this cross-sectional design. ConclusionsST and sleep duration were significantly associated with depressive symptoms severity. The indirect effect of sleep duration suggests a possible mechanism of the association between ST and depressive symptoms. Future interventions to manage depressive symptoms should target sleep time and decrease ST among adolescents.

Graded Exposure Therapy for Online Mobile Smartphone Sports Betting Addiction: A Case Series Report.

Advances in technology and increased usage of electronic mobile devices over the past decade have changed the way gamblers engage with online gambling. The convenience of mobile electronic devices is understood to be a major contributor to the increase of online gambling, which in turn has been implicated in the growth of sports betting. Emerging evidence suggests several sources of differentiation between mobile and other online gambling, which have important psychological implications. Given the inherent differences, we cannot conclude that evidence for the effectiveness of treatment for non-smartphone problem gambling (PG) automatically translates to online smartphone sports betting PG. The aim of this study, therefore, was to describe the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of cue exposure therapy (CET) to treat individuals presenting to a community-based PG therapy service with an online smartphone sports betting addiction, using a case series design. Six men (21-42years old) received up to 10 weekly 60-min manualised CET sessions. Outcome measures were gambling harm, gambling urge, gambling cognitions, psychological distress, and functional impairment. All six participants completed a course of CET averaging 8.33 sessions (SD = 1.75) and reported improvement across each of the outcome measures. Psychological distress scores had reduced to the non-clinical range for all six participants and five participants scored below the cut offs for PG and functional impairment at 1month follow up. The findings provide preliminary proof of concept evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of CET for online smartphone sports betting addiction.

Electronic devices usage among children under 10 years of age in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Electronic devices are easy to use by children. Recently, the electronic devices usage has excessively increased among children. Parents have a significant role in the way the children use the electronic device. This study aimed to examine the use of electronic devices among children under 10 years of age in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted during November and December 2018. The data, from mothers about their children, were collected online using a self-administered questionnaire. All children between the age of 1 to 10 years, were included. Results: A total of 570 mothers were enrolled from whom all the children’s data were collected. All the children included in our study used electronic devices out of which 61% used tablets and 49% used phones, 79% of children used the devices for watching YouTube, movies, and playing games. 47% of children older than 7 years tend to use electronic devices more than 4 hours on weekends, 73% of the children who have their own device used the devices for more than 2 hours per day. Parents’ supervision of the use of electronic devices was equal to the different age groups and regardless ownership of a device. Conclusion: Our study results revealed that the duration of the use of electronic devices does not vary in all ages. A positive outcome in our study was that the majority of parents do supervise their children.

Digital devices; a boon or bane: Ocular and musculoskeletal manifestations during lockdown in COVID-19 pandemic among general population of North India

Introduction: During the lockdown in COVID-19 days, excessive usage of digital devices leads to various consequences of ocular and musculoskeletal problems, mainly in the form of computer vision syndrome (CVS) and repetitive strain injury (RSI).Objectives: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of symptoms of CVS and RSI and their association between the duration of use of electronic devices among the general population of North India during the period of lockdown (March–May, 2020).Methodology: The present study was a cross-sectional, descriptive, population-based study conducted during the 2 months period of lockdown between April and May 2020. The general population of all age groups of North India who were using any form of digital device with internet connectivity was included in the study. Sample size of 255 was achieved. Convenience and snowball sampling technique was applied. Study tool was pretested, structured, self-administered online survey forms using the Google forms.Results: One or more symptoms of CVS were reported by 69% of the study population while 21.6% reported repetitive strain injuries. Around ten times significantly higher probability of having CVS was observed among those with more than 9 h of usage of electronic devices per day (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]; 9.94 [3.07–32.16]) as compared to those using it for < 2 h a day.Conclusions: It is the need of the hour that there should be extensive dissemination of information, education, and communication services regarding the symptoms of CVS and RSI and their preventive measures among the general population.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine on gaming behavior among children and adolescents in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) originated in Wuhan City, China. As of May 4, 2020, COVID-19 had become a global pandemic, affecting millions worldwide. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine on gaming behavior among children and adolescents in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and its impact on child behavior, preference, and sleep and to assess parents’ supervision of the usage of electronic devices. Methodology: A cross-sectional study (web-based questionnaire) was carried out in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The survey included 747 participants who were Arabic speakers in the age range of 4-18 years. The present study excluded children below 4 years or above 18 years of age and non-Arabic speakers. The validated Arabic version of the web-based questionnaire was distributed randomly among the Saudi population of Eastern Province. Results: The results showed a significant association between the quarantine period and the increasing duration of gaming activities among children and adolescents. With regard to video games’ effect on child behavior, 20.4% became introverted and 14.5% became more aggressive after playing games. In addition, 282 participants were found to have sleeping disturbances, which is estimated to be 37.8% of the total sample. However, an increase in the duration of gaming activities may have an adverse effect on the children’s mental health. Conclusion: This study showed an increase in playing duration, thus impacting the child’s behavior and sleep. Mental health professionals must provide advice on coping strategies for parents and educators to alleviate the pandemic-related stress in individuals. They must also pay attention to excessive gaming activity among at-risk individuals, such as children and teens, and its adverse effects, such as sleep disorders and psychological disturbance.

Effects of Electronic Devices and Internet Addiction on Sleep and Academic Performance Among Female Egyptian and Saudi Nursing Students: A Comparative Study.

IntroductionThe widespread availability of Internet access and increasing rate of electronic device usage has helped enlighten the world community through copious applications, information resources, and other benefits. However, both the lack of controlled behavior and excessive Internet usage have resulted in a variety of difficulties that can hinder user achievement in many areas.ObjectivesThis study investigated the prevalence of Internet and electronic device addiction among Egyptian and Saudi nursing students, with the aim of identifying any effects on sleep and academic performance.MethodsA cross-sectional comparative research design was employed among a systematic random sample comprised of 920 Egyptian and Saudi female nursing students. All participants completed the Young-Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).ResultsSevere Internet Addiction (IA) detected in 42.69% and 10.31% of Saudi and Egyptian participants, respectively. However, Saudi participants were more likely to report high rates of mobile phone usage (P < 0.001), while Egyptian participants tended to score higher on the ESS (17.47 ± 3.99 vs. 16.8 ± 3.83; P = 0.024). For all participants, IAT and MPIQ scores were correlated with ESS results, while IA was specifically associated with poor academic performance. Finally, MPIQ scores were inversely correlated with academic performance for Saudi participants.ConclusionSmartphone and Internet addiction were notable problems for the Egyptian and Saudi nursing students investigated in this study. Importantly, these conditions adversely affect academic performance and other activity engagement in addition to inducing excessive daytime sleepiness.

Prevalence of myopia and its association with electronic devices among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Myopia is the most common refractive error worldwide and is a growing global burden. Although myopia is a well-recognized problem, it has not been extensively studied in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of myopia and assess the association between e-reading and myopia. Methodology: This cross-sectional study included data collected from 571 male medical students in Riyadh between February 2019 and May 2019. The participants were categorized into three groups using stratified random cluster sampling: 187, 194, and 190 students from the fifth, third, and first years, respectively. The prevalence of myopia was self-reported through a questionnaire that also included details regarding the pattern of electronic device use. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to determine the prevalence with 95% confidence level. Results: Among the 291 medical students who responded, 117 (40%) had myopia (95% confidence interval = 33.4%-48.0%), of whom 70% were diagnosed before attending the university. When comparing between myopic and non-myopic students with respect to electronic device usage, no significant difference was found (p = 0.28). However, a significant difference was found between the groups in terms of laptop utilization compared to other types of electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The prevalence of myopia among university medical students was 40%. A significant difference was found between myopic and non-myopic students regarding laptop use compared with other types of electronic devices.

The Relationship of Dry Eye Disease With Depression in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

ObjectiveEstimate the prevalence of depression among individuals with a dry eye disease (DED) in Saudi Arabia using two questionnaires: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ-5), and explore potential factors implicated in the development of depression among the DED population.MethodsThis is a descriptive cross-sectional study of 476 patients with DED which was conducted using a PHQ-9 questionnaire to screen for depression and a DEQ-5 questionnaire to diagnose DED. The questionnaires were merged and distributed using Google Forms through various social media platforms targeting the Saudi population. After data collection, it was revised, coded and fed to statistical software IBM SPSS version 22 (SPSS, Inc. Chicago, IL).ResultsDepression was diagnosed among 200 participants (42%) of the cases with dry eyes. From which 5.7% had mild depression, 13.9% had moderate depression, 12.6% had moderately severe depression, and 9.9% had severe depression. A female predominance was noticed; 44.7% of the females with dry eyes had depression compared to 32.4% of males with recorded statistical significance (P=0.023). Depression was detected among 55% of those who are less than 20 years old in comparison to 27% of those who are 30 years or older (P=0.001). Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), prolonged electronic device usage and contact lens wear are reported as risk factors associated with an increase in dry eye symptoms. However, there is no statistically significant relationship between contact lens wear and depression among dry eye disease patients.ConclusionSuffering from DED is a possible risk factor for developing depression as DED is associated with depression of higher degrees of severity. Depression among DED patients is found to be significantly more prevalent among females and the young adult population rather than older adults.

Predictors of Emotional Intelligence among Preschool Children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Emotional intelligence is emerging as a relatively important and growing area of behavioural investigation in education, psychology, learning and development. Negative effects may arise and affect children's lives when emotional intelligence deficits. Nowadays, electronic devices have become common and hence it is undeniable that screen time of electronic devices among preschool children is gradually increasing because they have more opportunities to use it in anywhere and anytime. Playfulness is an essential element of childhood that could promote children's emotional intelligence and future mental health. Besides, parents play the main roles in monitoring their children's screen time, in forming children's playfulness traits and in promoting their emotional intelligence. Certain previous researches revealed that the frequency of electronic device usage or screen time was higher for children with lower socioeconomic status families (Dashti &amp; Yateem, 2018; Certain &amp; Kahn, 2002). Low socioeconomic status would affect parenting practices like monitoring and also parental investment (Dashti &amp; Yateem, 2018). This could be supported by previous studies which mentioned parents from low SES families would engage in less responsive ways when interacting or playing with their kids (Conger &amp; Donnellan, 2007; Grant et al., 2003). Moreover, financial difficulties would affect children's socio-emotional development and also parenting strategies like monitoring because low-income parents preferred to use restrictive strategies when monitoring their kids (Hosokawa &amp; Katsura, 2017; Nikken &amp; Jansz, 2006; Conger &amp; Conger, 2002). Nevertheless, higher SES families would use more active and involved interaction style with their kids (Fujioka &amp; Austin, 2002; Linver, Brooks-Gunn &amp; Kohen, 2002; Mayer, 1997). This study sought to determine the relationship between mother's characteristics (age, mothers' education level and employment status), child's characteristics (age), family characteristics (family total monthly income and number of children), screen time, playfulness and parental monitoring with emotional intelligence among Chinese preschool children. Next, the research aims to determine the unique predictors of EI. Keywords: Emotional intelligence, Parental monitoring, Playfulness, Preschool children, Screen time

TO EXPLORE THE ASSOCIATION OF SYMPTOMS OF OCULAR AND GENERALASTHENOPIA IN CHILDREN OF THE AGE GROUP OF 2 - 18 YEARS DURING COVID19 PANDEMIC WITH THE DURATION OF SCREEN TIME, AS REPORTED BY PARENTS AND FIND OUT WAYS TO MITIGATE THE SAME

Aim : To explore the association of symptoms of ocular and general aesthenopia in children of the age group of 2 – 18 years during COVID19 pandemic with the duration of screen time, as reported by parents and find out ways to mitigate the same. Setting and design: E-survey duly approved by Institutional review board, was conducted wherein the questionnaire was sent to multiple forums randomly across the country via google forms Methods and Material: Data was automatically stored on submitting questionnaire by user from where information was collected and inferences were made. Result: 1000 questionnaires were sent out of which we received responses. There were a significant number of children who were facing difficulties to cope up with higher screen time due to transition of classroom lectures to online lectures during COVID-19 pandemic. The study revealed that 49.7% used mobile phones as their primary device for online classes as well as entertainment purposes and 24.1 % children used overall screen time of more than 4 hours. About 11.6% complained of redness of eyes, 10.2% of burning sensation and 11.9% of watering on prolonged usage of electronic devices. Systemic complaints include sleep disturbances in 24.6%, irritability in 23.4%, tiredness in 13.1 %. Conclusion: Use of technology is part and parcel of our daily lifestyle. It has evolved to become a necessity rather than a mere choice; especially during the COVID-19 pandemic scenario specifically affecting school going children with the shift of classroom teaching to online lectures increasing the already high screen time. Suggestions to mitigate and reduce the impact of the same have been considered as well.

Parents’ Views on Young Children’s Distance Learning and Screen Time During COVID-19 Class Suspension in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT This study explored parents’ views on kindergarten and primary school students’ distance learning experience and support needed as well as the amount of time children spend on screen media at home during COVID-19 class suspension. Between February 19 and 22, 2020, three weeks after classes were suspended in Hong Kong, responses from 6,702 parents (93% mothers) of kindergarten students and primary school students were collected via an online survey. Research Findings: Three major findings emerged: (a) Most children encountered difficulties in completing distance learning tasks at home, with major difficulties being children’s lack of learning interests and home environment related limitations. Most children were not able to complete the learning tasks independently; (b) More parents without online learning were dissatisfied with distance learning during class suspension than those with online learning. Parents wanted more interactive online learning to facilitate children’s learning during class suspension and desired better learning support from schools, flexible work arrangements, and government subsidies; (c) There was a high usage of electronic devices without parental mediation during class suspension. Practice or Policy: Together, the findings have important policy and pedagogical implications for delivering a distance learning curriculum and working with families during class suspension. The findings also suggest the need for schools to work on a balance of types of learning during class suspension by introducing diversified on- and off-line activities as well as supporting parents in navigating children’s screen time.

Prevalence of Hearing and Visionabnormalities in School Children in Udupi District Karnataka

Background: Preschool screenings are recommended for early detection and treatment of childhood visualand hearing disorders.Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of hearing abnormalities, visual impairments and correlate itsassociation with consumption of vitamin A rich food and usage of electronic devices in school going childrenin Udupi district, KarnatakaMethod: Rinnie’s test and Weber’s tests was done by using tuning fork method for hearing, Snellen’s chartfor distant vision, Jager’s chart for near vision, Ishiara chart for colour vision and confrontation test for fieldof vision. Questionnaires were used to get the detailed informations regarding consumption of vitamin Arich food and usage of electronic devices,Result: Screening test for hearing and vision conducted on 250 students. There was no significant hearingabnormality was found out of 250 students, there was hearing impairment in 1.6% of the children due toear infection. In vision screening,12.8% of children having visual abnormalities like myopia, hyperopia andcolor blindness. The total prevalence of vision abnormalities was 32(12.8%) 95% CI: 11.924-13.676.Conclusion: Vision and hearing screening is very essential in school children to recognize the visualimpairments or hearing abnormalities at earliest which will be helpful for further treatment. This studyshould be conducted in large sample size.

Impact of Electronic Device Usage Before Bedtime on Sleep and Attention in Adolescents

ABSTRACTExcessive usage of electronic devices delays bedtime and increases nighttime arousal, reducing sleep duration of adolescents in the morning shift. The impacts of media use before bedtime (MBB) on sleep patterns and components of morning attention were evaluated in 89 adolescents (15.8 ± 0.8 years) using sleep questionnaires and a continuous performance task. Multivariate multiple regression analysis was used to examine relationships of MBB, chronotype, and gender with sleep and attention. Smartphones were found to be the most frequently used device before bedtime. Attention components were found to be significantly associated with MBB, with a higher frequency of MBB predicting slower reaction times for tonic and phasic alertness and less stable performance of sustained attention. Media usage before bedtime was not significantly associated with patterns of sleep nor sleep quality. This study showed negative impacts of MBB on most components of morning attention, potentially leading to compromised learning in adolescents.