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Journal of Pediatric Medicine and Child Health

P e e r - R e v i e w e d  
Bi-Annual (Two issues per year)

ISSN: 3108-2076 (Online)
DOI Prefix (Crossref): 10.67238

Screen Time and Its Health and Lifestyle Effects among Secondary School Students in a Rural Area of Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study
Research Article - Volume: 2, Issue: 2, 2026 (October)
Screen Time and Its Health and Lifestyle Effects among Secondary School Students in a Rural Area of Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study Download PDF

Salma Afroz 1, Md. Ali Saifullah Sajib 2, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun 3, Abir Ahmed Shanto 4

1Pediatric Neurology, National Institute of Neuroscience and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2Planning and Research Division, Directorate General of Health Services, Dhaka, Bangladesh
3OPD, Chandpur Sadar Hospital, Chandpur, Bangladesh
4Research and Advisory, New Visions Solution Ltd, Dhaka, Bangladesh

*Correspondence to: Salma Afroz, Department of Pediatric Neurology, National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, E-mail:

Received: July 14, 2026; Manuscript No: JPCH-26-2201; Editor Assigned: August 19, 2026; PreQc No: JPCH-26-2201 (PQ); Reviewed: September 01, 2026; Revised: September 03, 2026; Manuscript No: JPCH-26-2201 (R); Published: October 07, 2026, DOI: 10.67238/jpch.2026.v2.11

ABSTRACT

Background

Screen time has become an increasingly important part of adolescent life in Bangladesh and may affect learning, behavior, sleep, and physical health [1–6]. Excessive or poorly supervised screen exposure has been associated with headaches, eye problems, sleep disturbance, sedentary behavior, and psychosocial difficulties [2–6].

Objective

This study aimed to assess screen time patterns and associated health and lifestyle effects among secondary school students in rural Bangladesh.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among secondary school students in a rural area of Bangladesh. Data were collected using a structured Bengali questionnaire covering daily screen time, purpose of use, educational use, outdoor activity, social media engagement, and health-related complaints. Students from classes 6 to 10 who used smartphones and consented to participate were included. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.

Results

Sixty students participated. The mean age was 15.43 years, ranging from 12 to 18 years, and 60% were male. Most participants reported 3–5 hours of daily screen time, while 21.67% reported more than 5 hours. Entertainment was the most common purpose of use (45%), followed by communication (36.67%) and studying (18.33%). Most students did not use screens for educational apps, and YouTube was the most common educational platform among users. The most frequently reported health problems were decreased concentration (63.33%), headaches (41.67%), eye problems (38.33%), poor academic performance (33.33%), lack of sleep (23.33%), and back pain (21.67%). Facebook and TikTok were the most widely used social media platforms. Half of the students spent less than one hour outdoors daily, and 65% reported being scolded by parents or teachers for screen use.

Conclusion

Screen time among rural secondary school students was dominated by entertainment and social interaction rather than academic use. The findings support the need for awareness programs that encourage balanced screen habits, improved supervision, and more physical activity.

Keywords: Screen time, secondary school students, rural Bangladesh, health effects, adolescent behavior

Citation: Afroz S, Sajib MAS, Mamun A A, Shanto AA (2026). Screen Time and Its Health and Lifestyle Effects among Secondary School Students in a Rural Area of Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study. J. Pediatr. Med. Child Health. Vol.2 Iss.2, October (2026), pp:77-83.
Copyright: © 2026 Salma Afroz, Md. Ali Saifullah Sajib, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Abir Ahmed Shanto. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.