The impact of digital screen use on myopia progression in COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

The new coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) had a worldwide impact, this disease was affecting almost everyone's lives. It has caused many health issues to spiral out of control, one of them is myopia. Evidence suggests that myopia is impacted by environmental and lifestyle factors, with the importance of continuous usage of nearby digital screens being highlighted. The systematic review aims to analyze all the available information about the impact of digital screen use on myopia progression in a COVID-19 pandemic. The literature was searched from e-database PubMed and ScienceDirect. Quality assessment was done using the LEGEND (Let Evidence Guide Every New Decision) Evidence Evaluation Tools & Resources. A total of 10 papers were assessed qualitatively. The prevalence or incidence of myopia was reported in all ten studies. All of the studies discussed in this review suggest a relationship or impact between digital screen use and myopia progression. Four (40%) of the ten studies were cross-sectional, while the other six (60%) were cohort studies. The sample size ranged from 115 to 123535 participants. The majority of the participants in the studies were school-age children (primary and secondary school), but one study included university students. There were three studies involving subjects with myopia at baseline, one study involving subjects without myopia at baseline, and six studies involving subjects with myopia and without myopia. This systematic review shows that there is a significant progression of myopia as an impact of digital screen use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Higher Tablet Use Is Associated With Better Sustained Attention Performance but Poorer Sleep Quality in School-Aged Children

There are growing concerns that increased screen device usage may have a detrimental impact on classroom behaviour and attentional focus. The consequences of screen use on child cognitive functioning have been relatively under-studied, and results remain largely inconsistent. Screen usage may displace the time usually spent asleep. The aim of this study was to examine associations between screen use, behavioural inattention and sustained attention control, and the potential modifying role of sleep. The relations between screen use, behavioural inattention, sustained attention and sleep were investigated in 162 6- to 8-year-old children, using parent-reported daily screen use, the SWAN ADHD behaviour rating scale, The sustained attention to response task and the children’s sleep habits questionnaire. Tablet use was associated with better sustained attention performance but was not associated with classroom behavioural inattention. Shorter sleep duration was associated with poorer behavioural inattention and sustained attention. Sleep quality and duration did not act as mediators between screen usage and behavioural inattention nor sustained attention control. These findings suggest that careful management of the amount of time spent on electronic screen devices could have a beneficial cognitive impact on young children. The results also highlight the critical role of sleep in enhancing both behavioural attention and sustained attention, which are essential for supporting cognitive development and learning.

Experiencing the Unprecedented COVID-19 Lockdown: Abu Dhabi Older Adults’ Challenges and Concerns

This study focused on older adults (60+ years old) of both genders in Abu Dhabi during the COVID-19 pandemic before vaccines were made available (age ranged from 60 years to 75 years). They faced more strict rules of movement restriction and isolation that might have resulted in certain psychological feelings and social reactions. The main objective was to understand Abu Dhabi older adults’ psychological feelings during the pandemic and to identify their main concerns and challenges considering the various COVID-19-related policies and restrictions. The psychological feelings focused on fear, loneliness, sadness, irritability, emotional exhaustion, depressive symptoms, sleeping disorders, overeating, and excessive screen use. The objectives also included the changes in the psychological feelings concerning time. Other objectives covered better understanding the differences in (some activities) compared to the other age categories. Data were gathered through an online survey of community members from February to July 2020 as part of government initiatives (Department of Community Development). Responses were collected from 574 older adults in Abu Dhabi (60.1% male and 39.9% female). The analysis mainly used descriptive analysis, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and simple trend analysis. For all tests, a p-value less than 0.05 was used for significance. The results pointed to the significant rise in feelings related to excessive screen use, fear, loneliness, and stress. The most significant concerns were related to more restrictions being imposed and not being able to see the grandchildren.The impact of new technologies on their quality of life was significantly reflected by respondents. The influence of the pandemic on older adults’ health and weight was also investigated. Analysis of variance, t-tests, and regression analysis with relevant tests were employed. The relevant results showed that some negative psychological feelings were common among older adults during the pandemic. However, the psychological feelings did not portray significant changes with time, except for sleeping disorders and overeating. Overall, older adults scored significantly different from other age groups on many challenges, concerns, and views regarding new technologies during the pandemic. No significant differences were observed regarding gender and marital status for the challenges and concerns. The research summarizes some policy guidance while noting some limitations of this study and future research directions.

Patterns of parent screen use, child screen time, and child socioemotional problems at 5 years

Background: Digital media screens have become an essential part of our family life. While most studies focus on children’s screen use, we know less about parental screen use patterns and how these affect children’s socio-emotional development.Method: 867 Canadian parents of 5-year old children from the TARGet Kids! Cohort (73.1% mothers, mean age=38.88±4.45 years) participated from 2014 to 2020. Parents reported parental and child time on TV and handheld devices and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify groups of parents with similar patterns of screen use and link these profiles with child screen time and SDQ.Results: We identified six latent profiles of parent screen use: low users (P1, reference; n=323), more TV than handheld (P2; n=261), equal TV and handheld (P3; n=177), more handheld than TV (P4; n=57), high TV and handheld (P5; n=38) and extremely high TV and handheld (P6; n=11). P6 were more likely to be living in single parent households compared to P1 (estimate=-1.49(0.70), p=0.03). P2 (estimate=-0.67(0.32), p=0.04) and P4 (estimate=-1.42(0.40), p<0.001) were more likely to have lower household income compared to P1. P4 (χ2=12.32, p<0.001) and P5 (χ2=9.54, p=0.002) have higher total child screen time compared to P1. P6 (χ2=6.82, p=0.009) had higher total SDQ compared to P1.Discussion: Patterns of parent screen use were associated with child screen use and child socioemotional problems. The link between parental screen use profiles and child behaviours suggests a need for guidelines on parental screen time.

The Association Between Self-Reported Screen Time, Social Media Addiction, and Sleep Among Norwegian University Students

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between daily screen time and sleep, evening screen time and sleep, and between social media addiction and sleep in a student population. This cross-sectional study is based on data from a national survey of all college and university students in Norway (the SHoT2018 study; n = 49,051). The sleep outcomes were sleep duration, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, and insomnia operationalized according to formal DSM-5 criteria. The results show a strong negative association between time spent on screen-based devices and sleep quality and quantity, and where screen use in bed had more consistent negative associations with sleep. Furthermore, there were higher rates of insomnia among those with higher levels of addiction, and curvilinear relationships with sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and sleep efficiency. Those with higher levels of addiction also had more evening screen time. The findings suggest that screen use plays an important role in students' sleep quantity and quality, where evening screen time has a stronger relationship with sleep compared to total daily screen time. The results also suggest a role of social media addiction, and addictive social media use may be a target for intervention in order to reduce evening screen time.

The impact of sleep, physical activity and sedentary behaviour on symptoms of depression and anxiety before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of South African participants

During lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals have experienced poor sleep quality and sleep regularity, changes in lifestyle behaviours, and heightened depression and anxiety. However, the inter-relationship and relative strength of those behaviours on mental health outcomes is still unknown. We collected data between 12 May and 15 June 2020 from 1048 South African adults (age: 32.76 ± 14.43 years; n = 767 female; n = 473 students) using an online questionnaire. Using structural equation modelling, we investigated how insomnia symptoms, sleep regularity, exercise intensity/frequency and sitting/screen-use (sedentary screen-use) interacted to predict depressive and anxiety-related symptoms before and during lockdown. We also controlled for the effects of sex and student status. Irrespective of lockdown, (a) more severe symptoms of insomnia and greater sedentary screen-use predicted greater symptoms of depression and anxiety and (b) the effects of sedentary screen-use on mental health outcomes were mediated by insomnia. The effects of physical activity on mental health outcomes, however, were only significant during lockdown. Low physical activity predicted greater insomnia symptom severity, which in turn predicted increased depressive and anxiety-related symptoms. Overall, relationships between the study variables and mental health outcomes were amplified during lockdown. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining physical activity and reducing sedentary screen-use to promote better sleep and mental health.

Stress, Mood, and Smartphone Use in University Students: A 12-week Longitudinal Study

The current study used device-logged screen time records to measure week-to-week within-person associations between stress and smartphone use in undergraduate students (N = 187, Mage = 20.1) during Fall 2020, focusing on differences across types of app used and whether accumulated screen use each week predicted end-of-week mood states. Participants uploaded weekly screenshots from their “Screen Time” settings display and completed surveys measuring stress, mood, and COVID-19 experiences. Results of multilevel models showed no week-to-week change in smartphone hours of use or device pickups. Higher stress levels were not concurrently associated with heavier smartphone use, either overall or by type of app. Heavier smartphone use in a given week did not predict end-of-week mood states, but students who tended to spend more time on their phones in general reported slightly worse moods—a between-person effect potentially reflecting deficits in well-being that are present in students’ offline lives as well. Our findings contribute to a growing scholarly consensus that time spent on smartphones tells us little about young people’s well-being.

Understanding risks of refractive error among Chinese children amidst pandemic disruptions: results from a rapid survey

Background Despite effectiveness in delaying the spread of the pandemic, frequent and extended disruption to children’s livelihoods have fomented new norms in which learning routines encounter immense change. In particular, increased sedentary e-learning engagement with electronic screens and exposure to stressful circumstances are likely to pose adverse risks for children’s vision development. Methods This present study examines the link between near-sighted refractive error, and sedentary exposure to electronic screens, psychosocial stress level, and outdoor activities. A Rapid Survey Methodology (RSM) design was utilized to collect information on subject’s vision condition, sedentary electronic screen use, and level of psychosocial stress, in addition to detailed socio-demographic background characteristics. Results This study involves 2234 subjects enrolled in 1st to 6th grade in primary schools. Every 1 diopter hour increase in electronic screen use per day is associated with 1.036 OR (95% CI =1.024–1.047, p-value< 0.050), while every 1 h • W m− 2 sr− 1 of illuminance-weighted electronic screen use per day is associated with 2.285 OR (95% CI =1.829–2.855, p-value< 0.050) increased likelihood of near-sighted refractive error. Higher level of psychosocial stress is associated with 2.441 OR (95% CI =1.870–3.187, p-value< 0.050) and 2.403 OR (95% CI =1.839–3.141, p-value< 0.050) increased likelihood of near-sighted refractive error. Frequency of outdoor activity is not significantly associated with increased likelihood of near-sighted refractive error (p-value> 0.050). Conclusions Findings in this study show that many factors, including grade level and prior vision condition, contribute to increased risks of near-sighted refractive error during the COVID-19 pandemic. More strikingly, pandemic-related behavioral modifications such as lengthy sedentary electronic screen use and elevated levels of psychosocial stress are two critical channels affecting children’s eye health.