Investigating Health-Related Quality of Life and the Use of Media Technologies in Adolescents

Background and purpose: Communication technologies have a dual effect on human health and life. In fact beside their major role in improving human well-being, they also have harmful consequences. This research aimed at studying media technologies and their relationship with health related quality of life in students. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 567 high school students in Kermanshah, Iran 2017. They were selected using multi-stage sampling and completed a demographic checklist, media usage checklist, and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS V18, using Pearson correlation coefficient, linear regression, one-way and two-way ANOVA. Results: The mean score for total quality of life was 62.33 ± 15.76. Daily uses of computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, TV, and satellite program were 61.1%, 87.2%, 26.4%, 86.9%, and 26.9%, respectively. The mean score for overall quality of life in using mobile phone, tablet, and satellite program was significantly different between the adolescents (P< 0.01), but there was no significant difference between them in using TV and computer (P> 0.05). Conclusion: In general, no use or low use of satellite programs were associated with better scores for quality of life. But using mobile phone, tablet, computer, and laptop for two hours a day was associated with higher quality of life scores, compared with their use for more than two hours per day. Therefore, limited use of media technologies could lead to better health related quality of life.