Association of parental knowledge and skills in myopia prevention and control with healthy eye behavior in primary school children
- VernacularTitle:家长近视防控认知和技能与小学生健康用眼行为的关联
- Author:
ZHANG Xiaohua, TONG Min, ZHANG Weihua, XU Jiawei, CAO Bin, SHEN Jie, TIAN Qianqian, SHI Huijing
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: Myopia; Cognition; Eye; Behavior; Regression analysis; Students
- From: Chinese Journal of School Health 2024;45(7):923-927
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the association of parental knowledge and skills in myopia prevention and control with healthy eye behavior in primary school children, so as to provide a basis for accurate family education.
Methods:A total of 4 979 students in grades 1-5 from eight elementary schools in Pudong New Area were sampled between October and December in 2022 by using a stratified cluster sampling method. A self administered questionnaire was used to assess healthy eye behavior in primary school children and parental knowledge and skills in myopia prevention and control. The Chi squared test, independent samples t-test and Logistic regression were used to analyse the association between parental knowledge and skills in myopia prevention and control and healthy eye behaviour in primary school children.
Results:Parents of primary school children with a high level of knowledge and skills in myopia prevention and control were 50.97% and 56.36%, respectively. The knowlegde entry scores for parents of lower and middle elementary school students were higher than those of parents of upper primary students with respect to their understanding, on the main causes of myopia in their children, the correct knowledge of myopia prevention and control, the role of family members in helping each other to manage and treat myopia in their children and the parents responsibility to teach their children to use their eyes correctly and scientifically (3.05±1.21, 2.97±1.20; 5.92±0.68, 5.83±0.86; 4.46±0.88, 4.40±0.93; 3.88±1.04, 3.72±1.07); all differences were statistically significant (t=2.04, 3.39, 2.00, 4.87, P<0.05). The differences in the scores of parents of primary school children in different grades for all items were statistically significant (t=2.93-7.31, P<0.05) in the skill entries. Parental knowledge levels were poor for items of full scores that assessed the following: knowing the main causes of their childrens myopia, awareness of the correct knowledge of myopia prevention and control measures, awareness of Comprehensive Prevention and Control Strategy for Children and Adolescents with Myopia, and concerning that their childrens future education and employment will be affected by myopia, understanding the responsibility of parents for guiding children to use their eyes scientifically and correctly, with 12.71%, 22.90%, 19.30%, 21.83% and 22.47% respectively. Parental skills were poor for items of full scores that assessed the following:reminding their children to rest their eyes when doing homework, reading or writing, deliberately avoiding mobile phone use when spending time with their children, the number of times which taking children to the hospital for refractive screening in the past year, and giving their children extra learning tasks, with 33.26%, 15.12%, 9.00% and 5.36% respectively. Compared to parental knowledge in myopia prevention and control, parental skills had a more pronounced effect on the four dimensions of healthy eye behavior (reading and writing, screen time, outdoor activities, and sleep duration) among students in different grades (OR=1.41-3.37, P<0.05).
Conclusions:Parental knowledge and skills in myopia prevention and control are still insafficient, associated with healthy eye behavior in primary school children. There is a need to strengthen accurate health education for parents on the prevention and control of myopia, to cultivate healthy eye behaviour among primary school students and reduce the incidence of myopia among them.
