Comparison of screen time and digital gaming habits of Turkish children before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

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.