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. 2020 Apr 15;20(1):146.
doi: 10.1186/s12886-020-01410-3.

Prevalence of myopia and associated risk factors among primary students in Chongqing: multilevel modeling

Zhihao Xie  1 , Yue Long  2 , Jingxuan Wang  1 , Qiaoqiao Li  3 , Qiang Zhang  4
Affiliations

Prevalence of myopia and associated risk factors among primary students in Chongqing: multilevel modeling

Zhihao Xie et al. BMC Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of myopia and associated risk factors among children in Chongqing has not yet been determined. This study investigated the prevalence of myopia and possible relationships between myopia and several related factors among school children in Chongqing.

Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed a sample of 997 children (7-13 years of age) attending primary school in Chongqing. Data were obtained from visual acuity and refractive error measurements and a structured questionnaire. Myopia was defined as visual acuity < 5.0 and refractive error (spherical equivalent) of < - 0.50 diopters (D) in either eye. Multilevel modeling was applied to investigate potential risk factors.

Results: The overall prevalence of myopia was 33.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 31.0-36.8]; myopia prevalence significantly increased with age. Girls were at a higher risk of myopia than boys [odds ratio (OR) = 1.449, 95% CI = 1.060-1.979]. Children with paternal myopia (OR = 2.130, 95% CI = 1.376-3.297) or maternal myopia (OR = 1.861, 95% CI =1.153-3.002) had a higher risk of myopia than those without myopic parents. Children who spent more than 1 h daily outdoors were less likely to have myopia; meanwhile, children who did homework more than 3 h daily (OR = 2.237, 95% CI = 1.041-4.804), watched television more than 3 h daily (OR = 2.106, 95% CI = 1.200-3.697), or played electronics more than 1 h daily (OR = 2.983, 95% CI = 2.088-4.262) had a higher risk of myopia.

Conclusions: Myopia in school children is a serious public health problem in Chongqing. Myopia was significantly positively associated with higher age, female sex, parental myopia, and spending a long time indoors; notably, playing with electronics had the greatest influence on the risk of myopia.

Keywords: Multilevel modeling; Myopia; Playing electronics; Prevalence; Risk factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Associations between potential factors and myopia in univariate analysis. Myopia was significantly associated with age, sex, parental myopia, performing eye exercises, reading while lying down, less time outdoors, more time for homework, more time watching television, and more time playing with electronics; playing with electronics had the highest odds ratio of 3.111 (95% confidence interval: 2.230–4.341)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Associations between potential factors and myopia in multivariate analysis. Myopia was significantly associated with age, sex, parental myopia, less time outdoors, more time for homework, more time watching television, and more time playing with electronics; playing with electronics had the highest odds ratio of 2.983 (95% confidence interval: 2.088–4.262)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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