Abstract

PALHA, Cátia et al. Influence of family characteristics on screen time use in children under 18 months old. Rev Port Med Geral Fam [online]. 2019, vol.35, n.6, pp.438-448. ISSN 2182-5173.  https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v35i6.12541.

Aim: Assess family characteristics associated with screen time (ST) use in children aged 0 to 18 months. Study: Descriptive and analytic cross-sectional study. Place: USF Além D’Ouro, USF Camélias, USF Novos Rumos, USF Terras de Santa Maria, USF Vale do Vouga and UCSP de Crestuma. Population: Children aged 0 to 18 months, enrolled in six health centers. Methods: The authors developed a questionnaire about children’s ST and a brief characterization of the family, with a voluntary and confidential response. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences - SPSS® program. Statistical significance was considered for p-values <0.05. Results: Out of the 142 questionnaires returned (response rate 42.5%), 137 were included. The median age was 12 months and 50.4% were male. The average father’s age was 34 years and the mother’s 33. About 83% of the children belonged to nuclear families and 31.4% were under the care of grandparents or in a nursery. Eighty-one percent of the 137 analyzed children had ST and of these, more than half had their first exposure before or at six months of age. There was no difference in duration of ST between the week and the weekends (71.2% and 73% of children with exposure, respectively). We found a statistically significant correlation between ST and child’s age and mother’s age, where children of mothers aged 39 or over were exposed to ST later. Conclusion: This study showed unsuitable ST habits far from current age recommendations results consistent with national and international studies. Global intervention strategies, specifically training of caregivers about the adequate ST to child age, should be encouraged.

Keywords : Screen time; Infant; Family.

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