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Poor vision among China's rural primary school students: Prevalence, correlates and consequences

Author

Listed:
  • Yi, Hongmei
  • Zhang, Linxiu
  • Ma, Xiaochen
  • Congdon, Nathan
  • Shi, Yaojiang
  • Pang, Xiaopeng
  • Zeng, Junxia
  • Wang, Lei
  • Boswell, Matthew
  • Rozelle, Scott

Abstract

Using a survey of 19,977 children in two provinces, this paper explores the prevalence, correlates and potential consequences of poor vision among children in China's vast but understudied rural areas. We find that 24% of sample students suffer from reduced uncorrected visual acuity in either eye and 16% in both eyes. Poor vision is significantly correlated with individual, parental and family characteristics, with modest magnitudes for all correlates but home province and grade level. The results also suggest a possible adverse impact of poor vision on academic performance and mental health, particularly among students with severe poor vision.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi, Hongmei & Zhang, Linxiu & Ma, Xiaochen & Congdon, Nathan & Shi, Yaojiang & Pang, Xiaopeng & Zeng, Junxia & Wang, Lei & Boswell, Matthew & Rozelle, Scott, 2015. "Poor vision among China's rural primary school students: Prevalence, correlates and consequences," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 247-262.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:33:y:2015:i:c:p:247-262
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2015.01.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Steven D. Levitt & John A. List & Susanne Neckermann & Sally Sadoff, 2016. "The Behavioralist Goes to School: Leveraging Behavioral Economics to Improve Educational Performance," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 183-219, November.
    2. Brown, Philip H. & Park, Albert, 2002. "Education and poverty in rural China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 523-541, December.
    3. David McKenzie & Hillel Rapoport, 2011. "Can migration reduce educational attainment? Evidence from Mexico," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 24(4), pages 1331-1358, October.
    4. Michael Kremer, 2003. "Randomized Evaluations of Educational Programs in Developing Countries: Some Lessons," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(2), pages 102-106, May.
    5. Chen, Xinxin & Huang, Qiuqiong & Rozelle, Scott & Zhang, Linxiu, 2007. "Migration, Money and Mother: The Effect of Migration on Children's Educational Performance in Rural China," 2007 Annual Meeting, July 29-August 1, 2007, Portland, Oregon 9791, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    6. David McKenzie & Hillel Rapoport, 2006. "Can Migration Reduce Educational Attainments? Depressing Evidence from Mexico," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 0601, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Huan & Guan, Hongyu & Yi, Hongmei & Seevak, Emma & Manheim, Reid & Boswell, Matthew & Rozelle, Scott & Kotb, Sarah, 2020. "Independent reading in rural China’s elementary schools: A mixed-methods analysis," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Sijia Wang & Xingjie Hao & Xiao Ma & Yong Yu & Lili Wu & Yan Wang & Youfa Li, 2020. "Associations between Poor Vision, Vision-Related Behaviors and Mathematics Achievement in Chinese Students from the CNAEQ-PEH 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Jin Zhao & Huan Wang & Hongyu Guan & Kang Du & Yunyun Zhang & Nathan Congdon, 2022. "Impact of Teacher Incentive Intervention on Students’ Vision Healthcare Uptake: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, October.
    4. Kang Du & Huan Wang & Yue Ma & Hongyu Guan & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Effect of Eyeglasses on Student Academic Performance: What Matters? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-18, September.
    5. Wang, H. & Guan, H. & Boswell, M., 2018. "Health Seeking Behavior among Rural Left-behind Children: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in China," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276955, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    6. Hongyu Guan & Huan Wang & Kang Du & Jin Zhao & Matthew Boswell & Yaojiang Shi & Yiwei Qian, 2018. "The Effect of Providing Free Eyeglasses on Children’s Mental Health Outcomes in China: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Sylvia, Sean & Ma, Xiaochen & Shi, Yaojiang & Rozelle, Scott, 2022. "Ordeal mechanisms, information, and the cost-effectiveness of strategies to provide subsidized eyeglasses," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Sean Sylvia & Xiaochen Ma & Yaojiang Shi & Scott Rozelle & C. -Y. Cynthia Lin Lawell, 2018. "Ordeal Mechanisms, Information, and the Cost-Effectiveness of Subsidies: Evidence from Subsidized Eyeglasses in Rural China," Papers 1812.00383, arXiv.org.
    9. Hongyu Guan & Huan Wang & Juerong Huang & Kang Du & Jin Zhao & Matthew Boswell & Yaojiang Shi & Mony Iyer & Scott Rozelle, 2018. "Health Seeking Behavior among Rural Left-Behind Children: Evidence from Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, April.
    10. Juerong Huang & Hongjing Dang & Yan Cai & Juan Liu & Qihui Chen, 2022. "Myopia and Depression among Middle School Students in China—Is There a Mediating Role for Wearing Eyeglasses?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-18, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rural China; Poor vision; Children; Academic performance; Mental health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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