Access and use of new information and telecommunication technologies among teenagers at high school, health implications. JOITIC Study

Objective: To determine ICT accessibility and use among the adolescents attending High School and to analyse related factors. Design: Cross-sectional multicentric study. Setting: High Schools participating in the Community Health Salut i Escola Programme. Participants: 5,538 students from first to fourth degree at 28 centres in the area of Barcelona. Main measurements: Self administered questionnaire including sociodemographic information, ICT use and accessibility. Results: Missing answers were below 1% in all items except in school performance (3,13%); 48,6% were female, mean age 14 years (range 11-20); 15,5% foreigners; 23% reported low school performance; 75,2% took extracurricular activities; 88,9% refers a good relationship with their parents. ICT access is homogeneously massive: 98% had a computer at home, 44,8% used it for two or more hours daily. 98,6% could access Internet, 47,2% without parental control. 90% owned a mobile phone (83% in first grade, 95% in fourth); 45,6% owned one before 12 years old. Girls use it for social relationships and boys for playing. 68,4% played videogames, 36,5% for three or more hours a week and 66,8% without parental control. Their use decreases with age. The ICT parental control is associated with better school performance. Conclusions: Our high scholars gain access to the ICT at younger ages and they use them in almost every aspect of their lives. There have been detected some gender differences in their use, as well as in the age of the users and between the type of school. (C) 2013 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.