Effectiveness of the 20-20-20 Rule in Reducing Digital Eye Strain among Staff at a Social Security Center in a Hospital, Chonburi Province

Abstract

          This quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the 20-20-20 rule in reducing digital eye strain caused by digital device usage among personnel at a social security center in a hospital in Chonburi Province. Simple random sampling method was employed, targeting personnel who spent a minimum of 4 hours per day working with computers, totaling 27 individuals. Data were collected in January 2024 using questionnaires including personal information and the Digital Eye Strain and Risk Level (DESRIL-27) -Thai version. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare the mean ranks of DESRIL-27 scores before and after participating in the program during each week. Additionally, the correlation between the frequency of training sessions and DESRIL-27 scores were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient, with a statistical significance level set at .05.
          The majority of the sample group were females (96.3%) with a mean age of 36.22 years. All participants spent at least 4 hours per day working with computers. Analysis revealed a noteworthy decrease in digital eye strain among participants after training sessions in weeks 1, 2, and 3, reaching statistical significance at the 0.05 level. Additionally, a significant correlation emerged between the frequency of training sessions and DESRIL-27 scores during the 2^nd and 3^rd weeks, also at the 0.05 level. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the 20-20-20 rule in reducing digital eye strain and highlights the importance of increased training frequency in mitigating digital eye strain.