Back

Multinational MENA study identifies digital screen exposure as a major contributor to student headaches

Summaries 2 min 21

Font Size

Created On: 20/06/2026

See All

Key take away

Prolonged digital screen exposure and uninterrupted screen use significantly increase headache complaints among healthcare students across the MENA region.

Background

Digital technologies are increasingly integrated into healthcare education, resulting in prolonged daily screen exposure that may contribute to headache symptoms through visual strain, sleep disruption, ergonomic stress, and behavioral factors. However, the relationship between screen-use patterns and headache complaints remains insufficiently characterized among healthcare students in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The study assessed whether patterns of digital device usage and lifestyle practices were related to headache complaints among healthcare students from different countries within the MENA region.

Method

A multinational cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2024 and April 2025 involving 2,904 healthcare students from 11 MENA countries. Eligible participants were aged ≥18 years, enrolled in healthcare-related programs, and reported daily digital screen use. Students with chronic primary headache disorders or neurological conditions affecting headache patterns were excluded. Data were collected through a structured self-administered online questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, digital screen exposure patterns, environmental conditions, lifestyle behaviors, and self-reported headaches occurring during or shortly after screen use (Table 1).

The instrument underwent pilot testing in 110 healthcare students and demonstrated acceptable reliability across major domains. Univariable analyses were initially performed to explore potential associations, followed by multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors of headache occurrence after adjustment for demographic and lifestyle variables.

Result

Reports of headaches occurring during or immediately after digital screen use were observed. . Longer durations of screen use, particularly ≥7 hours each day, were significantly associated with an increased prevalence of headache complaints. Continuous screen exposure without breaks for more than two hours also demonstrated a strong association with headache occurrence (p<0.001).

An elevated risk of headaches was linked to several lifestyle behaviors, such as frequent caffeine use during screen time, poor hydration, irregular sleep duration, and higher stress levels. Female participants and students with a family history of migraine reported headaches more frequently than their counterparts. The high prevalence of screen-related headache and its strong association with prolonged daily screen exposure and uninterrupted screen use as highlighted in Table 2.

Multivariable analysis showed that prolonged screen exposure and the absence of regular breaks remained independently associated with headache occurrence after controlling for relevant confounding factors.

Conclusion

This large multinational investigation demonstrated that headache complaints were highly prevalent among healthcare students exposed to digital screens across the MENA region. Prolonged and uninterrupted screen use, together with modifiable behavioral factors such as hydration practices, sleep variability, caffeine consumption, and stress, were significantly associated with headache occurrence. These findings highlighted potential opportunities for preventive education, ergonomic interventions, and healthier screen-use behaviors aimed at reducing headache burden in digitally intensive academic environments.