Features of the daily routine of students in Vladivostok universities when using electronic means of communication during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: The analysis of the features of the daily routine of University students, determined to the usage of electronic means of communication during COVID-19 pandemic period.

Methods: Communication means preferences of the 634 University students were analyzed using questionnaire survey. Their sleep schedules, physical activity, feeding, educational and leisure activities and wellbeing were analyzed.

Results: It was determined that favorite means of electronic study among respondents was smartphone. It turned out to be the only mean of communication among 5.8±0.9 % of examined. Those who studied in the distant format often exceeded hygiene standards of the duration of ongoing work in front of a computer/laptop compared to students focused on traditional learning (39.4±2.2 against 28.5±3.8 %; χ²=5.69, p=0.018), and also those who exceeded night sleep time limit (15.9±1.6 against 6.9±2.1 %; χ²=7.49, p=0.007). Among online students there were less respondents who had one meal a day (9.8±1.3 against 24.3±3.6 %; х2=20.59, p<0.001) and who had meal shortly before sleep (52.2±2.3 against 64.6±4.0 %; χ²=6.85, p=0.009). Those who studied in the distant format more often took strolls than those who attended fulltime classes: 56.7±2.2 against 29.9±3.8 % (χ²=8.32, p=0.004).

Conclusions: Distant education allowed to make educational process ongoing. However this way of studying caused changes in the regular schedule and the reallocation of the time burden. It can't stop influencing health of the younger generation.

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