Psychological and physical health consequences of mobile phone usage among children in Rural Bangladesh

Mobile phone access among children has expanded rapidly worldwide, yet evidence on its health consequences derives overwhelmingly from high-income Western populations. Little is known about how mobile phone engagement shapes the psychological and physical wellbeing of children in rural low- and middle-income settings, where poverty, limited healthcare access, and distinct cultural norms may condition both the nature and severity of health outcomes. This study examined the psychological and physical health consequences of mobile phone usage among children in Sarankhola Upazila, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh, guided by the Biopsychosocial Model of Health and the Displacement Hypothesis. A qualitative exploratory design was employed. Twenty-eight participants were purposively recruited where fifteen children (aged 12–18) and five parents/caregivers participated in in-depth interviews, while eight additional children (aged 12–17) joined a focus group discussion. Data were collected through face-to-face interview and Focus group Discussion between June and October 2025 using a pretested semi-structured guide, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated with back-translation verification, and analyzed thematically in NVivo 15 following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Ethical approval was obtained from Khulna University. Four interrelated themes emerged. First, late-night phone use generated a cascading cycle of sleep disruption, daytime fatigue, impaired concentration, and academic stress, with thirteen of twenty-eight participants reporting sleep disturbances. Second, anger, predominantly triggered by phone restriction and connectivity failures and anxiety linked to academic underperformance showed gender-differentiated patterns, with females displaying higher anger and males’ greater anxiety. Third, exposure to distressing digital content produced mood fluctuations and emotional dysregulation. Fourth, physical complaints clustered around eye strain, headaches, sleep deprivation, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Counterbalancing these harms, mobile phones enhanced social connectivity and fostered creative hobby development, including photography, video editing, and sports skills. Mobile phone use among rural Bangladeshi children produces a spectrum of interconnected biological, psychological, and social outcomes shaped by the duration, timing, content, and purpose of engagement. The findings underscore the need for culturally appropriate, family-centered digital health interventions that promote sleep-protective phone practices and parental mediation while preserving the technology’s developmental benefits.