IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i23p8937-d454466.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Use of Digital Technology among Adolescents Attending Schools in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

Author

Listed:
  • Geir Gunnlaugsson

    (Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, IS-102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Thomas Andrew Whitehead

    (Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, IS-102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Fatou N’dure Baboudóttir

    (Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, IS-102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Aladje Baldé

    (University Campus, Jean Piaget University of Guinea-Bissau, Bissau 5100, Guinea-Bissau)

  • Zeca Jandi

    (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisa (INEP), Avenida dos Combatentes da Liberdade da Pátria, Complexo Escolar 14 de Novembro, Bissau C.P. 112, Guinea-Bissau)

  • Hamadou Boiro

    (Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, IS-102 Reykjavík, Iceland
    Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisa (INEP), Avenida dos Combatentes da Liberdade da Pátria, Complexo Escolar 14 de Novembro, Bissau C.P. 112, Guinea-Bissau)

  • Jónína Einarsdóttir

    (Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, IS-102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

Abstract

Digital technology plays an important role in achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, access is uneven, with 80% of those in high-income countries being online compared to 20% of those in the 47 least developed countries. This study aimed to describe and analyse adolescents’ access to and usage of digital technology in Guinea-Bissau and its implications. In June 2017, a survey with a locally adapted Planet Youth questionnaire was implemented in the capital, Bissau, whereby classes in 16 secondary schools were surveyed on a variety of issues. In total, 2039 randomly selected students participated; the survey included ten questions specifically on the access to and use of digital technology. Half of the respondents had access to desktop/laptops, and one-third used mobile internet daily; about two-thirds had an experience of social media. Explanatory variables included educational institution, parental education, economic situation, and gender. Furthermore, students’ experience of social media was significantly linked to bullying, anxiety, depression, smoking and alcohol consumption. Many adolescents in Bissau have no experience of using digital technology, including for schoolwork. Access improvements are necessary so that young Bissau-Guineans are not to be left behind in developing their capabilities and can benefit from proficiency in the use of digital technologies. At the same time, potential harmful usage of the media requires the implementation of preventive measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Geir Gunnlaugsson & Thomas Andrew Whitehead & Fatou N’dure Baboudóttir & Aladje Baldé & Zeca Jandi & Hamadou Boiro & Jónína Einarsdóttir, 2020. "Use of Digital Technology among Adolescents Attending Schools in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:23:p:8937-:d:454466
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/23/8937/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/23/8937/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gina Porter & Kate Hampshire & Albert Abane & Alister Munthali & Elsbeth Robson & Ariane De Lannoy & Augustine Tanle & Samuel Owusu, 2020. "Mobile phones, gender, and female empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa: studies with African youth," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 180-193, January.
    2. Jenny C. Aker & Isaac M. Mbiti, 2010. "Mobile Phones and Economic Development in Africa," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 24(3), pages 207-232, Summer.
    3. World Bank, 2018. "Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2018 [Rapport 2018 sur la pauvreté et la prospérité partagée]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 30418.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fatou N’dure Baboudóttir & Zeca Jandi & Bucar Indjai & Jónína Einarsdóttir & Geir Gunnlaugsson, 2023. "“Just Standing Still”: A Qualitative Study on Adolescents’ Experiences of School Closures Due to Emerging COVID-19 in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-11, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hina Amber & Bezawit Beyene Chichaibelu, 2023. "Narrowing the gender digital divide in Pakistan: Mobile phone ownership and female labor force participation," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 1354-1382, August.
    2. Koomson, Isaac & Bukari, Chei & Villano, Renato A, 2021. "Mobile money adoption and response to idiosyncratic shocks: Empirics from five selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    3. Martin C. Parlasca, 2021. "A vital technology: Review of the literature on mobile phone use among pastoralists," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 780-799, May.
    4. Gutiérrez-Romero, Roxana & Ahamed, Mostak, 2021. "COVID-19 response needs to broaden financial inclusion to curb the rise in poverty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    5. Olayinka David-West & Oluwasola Oni & Folajimi Ashiru, 2022. "Diffusion of Innovations: Mobile Money Utility and Financial Inclusion in Nigeria. Insights from Agents and Unbanked Poor End Users," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 1753-1773, December.
    6. Angela Daley & Thesia I. Garner & Shelley Phipps & Eva Sierminska, 2020. "Differences across Place and Time in Household Expenditure Patterns: Implications for the Estimation of Equivalence Scales," Economic Working Papers 520, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    7. Simplice A. Asongu, 2014. "Knowledge Economy and Financial Sector Competition in African Countries," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 26(2), pages 333-346, June.
    8. Sulaiman, H. & Malec, K. & Maitah, Mansoor, 2014. "Appropriate tools of Marketing Information System for Citrus Crop in the Lattakia Region, R. A. SYRIA," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 6(3), pages 1-10, September.
    9. Chen,Rong - DECIG, 2021. "A Demand-Side View of Mobile Internet Adoption in the Global South," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9590, The World Bank.
    10. Maude Hasbi & Antoine Dubus, 2019. "Determinants of Mobile Broadband Use in Developing Economies: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers hal-02264651, HAL.
    11. Catherine Y. Co & Jonna Holland, 2019. "Teaching International Microenterprise Development: An Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning Approach," Journal of Economics Teaching, Journal of Economics Teaching, vol. 4(1), pages 27-39, May.
    12. Grégoire Rota-Graziosi & Fayçal Sawadogo, 2020. "The tax burden on mobile network operators in Africa," Working Papers hal-03109370, HAL.
    13. Aimable Nsabimana & Patricia Funjika, 2019. "Mobile phone use, productivity and labour market in Tanzania," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-71, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Freyburg, Tina & Garbe, Lisa & Wavre, Véronique, 2022. "The political power of internet business: A comprehensive dataset of Telecommunications Ownership and Control (TOSCO)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue Online fi, pages 1-1.
    15. Marco Manacorda & Andrea Tesei, 2020. "Liberation Technology: Mobile Phones and Political Mobilization in Africa," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(2), pages 533-567, March.
    16. Hamza El Guili, 2018. "Internationalization of African SMEs: Context, Trends and Challenges," Proceedings of the 11th International RAIS Conference, November 19-20, 2018 020HG, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.
    17. repec:ags:mididp:152396 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Christian-Lambert Nguena, 2019. "On financial innovation in developing countries: The determinants of mobile banking and financial development in Africa," Journal of Innovation Economics, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(2), pages 69-94.
    19. repec:aer:wpaper:323 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Olalekan Charles Okunlola & Anthony E. Akinlo, 2021. "Does economic freedom enhance quality of life in Africa?," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 68(3), pages 357-387, September.
    21. Abdulqadir, Idris A. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "The asymmetric effect of internet access on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 44-61.
    22. Alkire, Sabina & Nogales, Ricardo & Quinn, Natalie Naïri & Suppa, Nicolai, 2021. "Global multidimensional poverty and COVID-19: A decade of progress at risk?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:23:p:8937-:d:454466. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.