| ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to(1)describe the prevalence of myopia,reduced visual acuity(VA)and spectacles need.(2)explore the associated factors of those variables among school children of different ethnicities in a rural area in Yunnan province,China.MethodsThis study was a school-based eye survey,which was conducted in Mangshi located in the middle part of Yunnan province from March to August in 2014.A total of 8225 students from 55 primary and 51 secondary schools located in the study area were invited to participate in this survey,of whom 7166(87.1% of the total)underwent clinical eye examinations and pre-designed questionnaires.Information regarding demographic factors,socioeconomic status and lifestyle-related exposures were collected.The ophthalmic examinations were conducted in each school by trained study ophthalmologists and optometrists and included distance visual acuity,anterior segment examination,cycloplegic auto-refraction,ocular motility and fundus examination.Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS V16.0;and Stata V12.0.We considered a two-tailed P value of less than 0.05 as statistically significant and presented odds ratios(ORs)and 95% confidence intervals(CIs)in results.ResultsIn this study,the total prevalence of myopia and high myopia among rural students were 39.1%(95% CI,38.0-40.2)and 0.6%(95% CI,0.4-0.8).In multivariate analysis,the occurrence of myopia was associated with increasing height(OR = 1.02;95% CI,1.01-1.03),computer use(OR = 1.17;95% CI,1.03-1.32),increasing reading and writing time per day(OR = 1.18;95% CI,1.09-1.28),having myopic father(OR = 1.56;95% CI,1.24-1.94)and having myopic mother(OR = 1.33;95% CI,1.08-1.63)after adjusting for age,sex and ethnicity.The prevalence of reduced VA was 11.4%(95% CI,10.7%-12.1%)and 7.4%(95% CI,6.8%-8.1%)based on the worse-seeing and better-seeing eye data,respectively.The prevalence of reduced VA increased with increasing age(P for trend < 0.001)and was higher among girls compared with boys(P < 0.001).Uncorrected refractive errors and amblyopia were the principal causes for reduced VA.The number of parents who objected their children to wear glasses was largest(46.3%).Among students who needed spectacles,only 18.9% owned them and there exists no ethnic variation.Logistic multivariate analyses found that spectacles need was significantly linked with increasing age(OR = 1.18;95% CI,1.04-1.33)rather that sex and family wealth(P > 0.05).We also revealed that spectacles ownership was significantly associated with increasing age(OR = 1.30;95% CI,1.08-1.55),more time on reading and writing(OR = 1.66;95% CI,1.15-2.40),having myopic friend(s)(OR = 1.90;95% CI,1.01-3.56),self-awareness of myopia(OR = 6.67;95% CI,2.48-17.92),and poorer uncorrected VA(OR = 4.57;95% CI,2.78-7.52).ConclusionsThe prevalence of myopia,reduced VA and the rate of spectacles ownership among school students in rural areas in Yunnan province was lower compared with urban ones.There existed no ethnicity difference regarding myopia,reduced VA and spectacles need.After adjusting for age,sex and ethnicity,we observed children who were taller,use computer,spend longer time study per day and have myopic parents have a higher risk of being myope.Those conclusions have important public health implications for China and other countries regarding vision-related health resources allocation. |
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