OBJECTIVETo understand the children neglect situation of left-behind children (children who do not grow up with their parents) and non-left-behind children in China's western rural and its influencing factors.

METHODSScales and evaluation methods in the "Chinese rural child neglected evaluation model" were used in this study. The investigation was conducted by using multistage stratified cluster sampling method; three countries were sampled randomly in Shanxi and Chongqing in November 2010, respectively. And, in every county, children from rural area aged from zero to six were randomly selected, with neglect rate and degree to describe their neglected status, using logistic regression analysis to analyze factors affecting the neglect rate.

RESULTSAmong 1568 subjects (859 left-behind and 709 living-with-parents), the total neglect rates were 29.78% (467/1568), and the total neglect degrees were 48.51 ± 6.49; the neglect rates for left-behind ones and living-with parents ones were 34.34% (295/859) and 24.26% (172/709) (P < 0.05); the neglect degree were 49.59 ± 6.54 and 47.19 ± 6.18 (P < 0.05). The neglect degree among left-behind ones and living-with parents ones between 0 to 2 years old were 48.59 ± 6.33 and 45.78 ± 5.94 (P < 0.05); in 3 to 6 years old group, which were 50.43 ± 6.60 and 48.25 ± 6.16(P < 0.05). The degrees in boy's group of these two kinds of children were 49.83 ± 6.67, 47.36 ± 6.28(P < 0.05) and girl's were 49.32 ± 6.38, 47.01 ± 6.08 (P < 0.05). On the other side, the neglect rate of left-behind and non-left-behind children between 0 to 2 years old were 39.33% (153/389) and 18.54% (56/302) (P < 0.05). The rates of boy's group were 34.91% (162/464) and 25.13% (94/374) (P < 0.05), and girl's were 33.67% (133/395) and 23.28% (78/335) (P < 0.05). Results showed that if the left-behind child's father was with lower education background, and the child and his mother feel stranger to each other, which led to the conclusion there was more chance for them to be neglected (OR values were 1.29 and 1.55, P < 0.05). If the non-neglected child's father was farmer or migrant worker and the relationship between the mother and father was poor, then there was more chance for them to be neglected (OR values were 0.85 and 1.92, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe situation of children neglect in the western rural regions in China is serious. Both the neglect rate and degree among left-behind children are higher than those living-with-parents children. The influencing factors of neglect rate are different in the two groups.