The European Public Health Conference (EPH) is taking place in Lisbon this week. Experts from all over Europe come together to share insights about public health. Karin Boode, strategic youth advisor at GGD GHOR Netherlands, is present at the conference this week and has a special role. She is present to share recent Dutch findings about screen use and smartphone-free classrooms. “We are seeing an interesting effect on social interaction and school performance since banning mobile phones,” says Boode.
Effects of smartphone-free classes
The Netherlands introduced a ban on mobile phones in classrooms at the beginning of this year. According to Boode, the first results are positive. “A recent survey shows a significant decrease in distraction in the classroom,” she explains. “Approximately 21 percent of students indicate that they do not have a smartphone. distracting them, which can lead to better school performance and less stress.” In addition, there is another important result: less cyberbullying. The ban also seems to contribute to a safer environment in schools. Reports of cyberbullying have fallen as much as 40 percent,” she said.
Boode also notes that the ban has a positive effect on the social interaction of young people. “More than 50 percent of young people say they talk to each other more often during breaks, and 40 percent experience lunchtimes as more enjoyable because young people watch less on their phones. These types of results give us insight into how important it is to take mobile phone usage regulations seriously.”
Karin Boode will be giving a presentation at the EPH Conference in Lisbon.
Knowledge sharing and European cooperation
Boode fulfills several roles during the conference. As a member of the PHned board, she attends the Management Board meeting at the EPH Conference, where the organizational information of the conference is discussed. She will also be a member of the Child and Youth Public Health steering committee, one of the conference’s sub-committees. “In the Join The Network meeting, youth health professionals from Europe exchange ideas on current topics,” says Boode. This week the participants discuss how countries in Europe deal with policy issues related to screen time and social media for young people. “It is encouraging to hear how different countries are dealing with this challenge and what ideas they have for effective policies.” The conference will coincide with Media Literacy Week, which is also about being sensitive to the media and screens – a topic that is fully discussed at the conference.
The impact of social media on mental health
In addition to her presentation on smartphone-free classrooms, Boode and two others will present on the impact of environmental factors on young people’s mental health and possible policy measures in this regard. She refers to a recent study by the University of Amsterdam on the impact of social media on the mental health of young people. “The results are worrying: sixty percent of young people indicate that platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram have a negative impact on their mental health.” said Boode. “On the other hand, we see that platforms such as WhatsApp and Snapchat can contribute well, perhaps because they are more focused on communicating directly with friends. “
The power of knowledge sharing
The conference also gives Boode the opportunity to discuss the first findings from an in-depth study from the Youth Health Survey 2023. “We hope these results will stimulate further discussions in Europe ,” Boode explained. “Everyone here understands that screen use and social media have a huge impact on young people. By sharing our knowledge, we encourage each other to work together on better policy measures.”
“The great thing about the EPH Conference is that we are not only sharing experiences, but also looking for solutions,” concluded Boode. “By communicating with European colleagues, we are taking important steps towards a healthy future for young people. “
2024-11-13 14:33:00
#EPH #conference #European #division #knowledge #young #peoples #health #GGD #GHOR #Netherlands
