Digital health in first-grade adolescents from public and private secondary schools in the state of San Luis Potosí in 2023

Abstract

Objective: To identify digital health habits in first-grade adolescents from public and private high schools in the state of San Luis Potosí. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research was conducted. A total of 21,044 first-year adolescents from 245 public and private high schools in the 58 municipalities of San Luis Potosí participated. The 'Answer with the Net' survey, validated and reliable with 65 items (16 on digital health), was applied in May 2023. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 16 to estimate averages and proportions. Results: Among participants, 50.4% were women, and 49.6% were men. The predominant age was 13 years (89.53%). The most used social network was Facebook (56.56%). Only 11.14% engage in sports during free time, 23.57% feel irritated when a video game malfunctions, 25.65% accept friend requests from unknown persons, and 76.52% shared personal data on social networks. Conclusion: This is one of the first studies revealing behavioral patterns regarding the state of digital health in adolescents from San Luis Potosí. Findings highlight the need for educational strategies addressing the conscious and safe use of social networks.