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Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the screen time and digital gaming habits of Turkish children before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Material and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in a university hospital between May 7, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Healthy children aged 3–10 years who applied to the pediatrics clinics for outpatient care were included in the study. A structured survey was applied to the parents who agreed to participate.
Results: A total of 253 children were included in the study. It was found that the ratio of children with screen time of ≥1 hour during the pandemic was significantly higher than before the pandemic (p<0.001). It was determined that the ratio of children watching both adult and children’s programs increased during the pandemic (p<0.001). The ratio of children playing digital games during the pandemic was also found to be increased significantly compared with that before the pandemic (p<0.001).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that screen and digital gaming time increased independently of sociodemographic characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before the pandemic.
Cite this article as: Oflu A, Bükülmez A, Elmas E, Tahta EG, Çeleğen M. Comparison of screen time and digital gaming habits of Turkish children before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Turk Arch Pediatr 2021; 56(1): 22-6.