Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part C (2025)

Introduction: Excessive mobile phone usage among school children has emerged as a growing public health concern, contributing to visual strain, sleep disturbances, musculoskeletal discomfort, psychological changes, poor academic performance, and digital addiction. Limited awareness about these risks highlights the need for structured educational interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an informational booklet in improving knowledge regarding the health effects of mobile usage among school children in selected schools of Vijayapur.

Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was adopted among 100 school children selected through simple random sampling. A structured knowledge questionnaire served as the data collection tool. After administering the pre-test, participants received an age-appropriate, visually engaging informational booklet. A post-test was conducted after seven days. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including paired t-tests for assessing effectiveness. Reliability of the tool was established through split-half method, and content validity was ensured through expert review.

Results: Findings revealed a substantial increase in post-test mean knowledge scores compared with pre-test scores, demonstrating statistically significant improvement (p<0.05). Most participants showed notable enhancement in understanding the physical, psychological, and behavioral impacts of prolonged mobile usage. Demographic variables showed no significant association with baseline knowledge levels.

Conclusion: The informational booklet proved to be an effective educational tool in enhancing awareness regarding the health hazards of excessive mobile phone use among school children. Integrating similar digital health literacy interventions into school health programs can promote healthier screen-time habits and improve child well-being.