2025, Vol. 8, Issue 2, Part A

Background: The World Health Organization, paediatric societies, and other international organizations advise teenagers to restrict their screen use to two hours per day in light of the negative impacts. The average amount of time spent in front of a screen worldwide in 2024 was six hours and forty minutes.

Methodology: This analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted in rural and urban schools. 500 samples were gathered from both class 9 and class 10, 250 samples were from rural, and 250 from urban. Teachers and students were briefed on the study objectives and the content of the questionnaires. Data was collected through demographic form, screen time, and strength and difficulties questionnaires.

Results: The study included 500 participants, 250 from urban schools and 250 from rural classes of 9-10. The majority had underweighted BMI. Most students reported an effect on their studies due to extreme device usage. Higher scores in emotional problems were seen while evaluating the strength and difficulty quessionnaire.

Conclusion: Our study clearly shows that among urban and rural students, the urban population was found to be more addicted to screens compared to the rural. Even though electronics have become increasingly ingrained in our daily lives, either parents or other caregivers should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages thereby establishing rules that encourage responsible multimedia consumption.