Smartphone and tablet use pattern in children up to 5 years old in Spain: a cross-sectional study.
Sonia de Paz-Cantos, Adrián González-Marrón, Cristina Lidón-Moyano and 3 others
PMID 39607176WHAT IT FOUND
44.7% of parents of children aged 3 months to 5 years reported smartphone or tablet use.
Older children used devices more often. Smartphone use was linked to parent education, tablet use to siblings and parent age.
Key findings
0144.7% of 410 children were reported to use a smartphone and/or tablet.
02Smartphone use was associated with parent education and child age; tablet use was associated with child age, siblings, and respondent age.
03Among device users, 26.2% had free access to a smartphone or tablet, and 75.4% used video applications.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample from one hospital and social-media recruitment, so it may not represent all Spanish families. Parents were mostly university-educated (86.8%), and the authors say this may have underestimated device use. Recruitment through pediatric social-media profiles may have attracted parents already more concerned about children's health. Device use was self-reported by parents on an unvalidated online questionnaire, so information bias is possible. Screen time was collected in 30-minute categories and capped at 4 hours, which can underestimate actual exposure. The cross-sectional design can show associations only, not cause or effect.
Declared interests
The supplied text reports support from Ministerio de Ciencias e Innovación of the Government of Spain (Grant 2021SGR00186) and publication as part of a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development activity. It does not state author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that smartphone or tablet use caused sleep or developmental problems. This study measured parent-reported use patterns in a convenience sample and did not assess health outcomes or test an intervention.