IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/chieco/v33y2015icp247-262.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043951X1500005X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.chieco.2015.01.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    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. 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.
    3. Brown, Philip H. & Park, Albert, 2002. "Education and poverty in rural China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 523-541, December.
    4. 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).
    5. 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.
    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).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    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. 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.
    4. 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).
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adam Sawyer, 2016. "Is Money Enough?: The Effect of Migrant Remittances on Parental Aspirations and Youth Educational Attainment in Rural Mexico," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 231-266, March.
    2. Youqin Huang & Zai Liang & Qian Song & Ran Tao, 2020. "Family Arrangements and Children's Education Among Migrants: A Case Study of China," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 484-504, May.
    3. Orazem, Peter F. & King, Elizabeth M., 2008. "Schooling in Developing Countries: The Roles of Supply, Demand and Government Policy," Handbook of Development Economics, in: T. Paul Schultz & John A. Strauss (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 55, pages 3475-3559, Elsevier.
    4. Nguyen, Cuong Viet & Nguyen, Hoa Quynh, 2015. "Do internal and international remittances matter to health, education and labor of children and adolescents? The case of Vietnam," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 28-34.
    5. Christian Hubert Ebeke, 2010. "The Effect of Remittances on Child Labor: Cross-Country Evidence," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 30(1), pages 351-364.
    6. Adriana Jaramillo & Alan Ruby & Fabrice Henard & Hafedh Zaafrane, 2011. "Internationalization of Higher Education in MENA : Policy Issues Associated with Skills Formation and Mobility," World Bank Publications - Reports 19461, The World Bank Group.
    7. Ebeke, Christian Hubert, 2012. "The power of remittances on the international prevalence of child labor," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 452-462.
    8. Görlich, Dennis & Omar Mahmoud, Toman & Trebesch, Christoph, 2007. "Explaining labour market inactivity in migrant-sending families: Housework, hammock, or higher education?," Kiel Working Papers 1391, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    9. Zhao, Qiran & Yu, Xiaohua & Wang, Xiaobing & Glauben, Thomas, 2014. "The impact of parental migration on children's school performance in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 43-54.
    10. Peilin Li & Yufeng Wu & Hui Ouyang, 2022. "Effect of hukou Accessibility on Migrants’ Long Term Settlement Intention in Destination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    11. Siwar Khelifa, 2020. "Risks and optimal migration duration: The role of higher order risk attitudes," Working Papers halshs-02940346, HAL.
    12. Hayot Berk Saydaliev & Lee Chin, 2023. "The necessity of social infrastructure for enhancing educational attainment: evidence from high remittance recipient LMICs," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1823-1847, June.
    13. John A. List & Ragan Petrie & Anya Samek, 2023. "How Experiments with Children Inform Economics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 61(2), pages 504-564, June.
    14. Cristina Cattaneo, 2012. "Migrants’ international transfers and educational expenditure," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 20(1), pages 163-193, January.
    15. Lanfang Deng & Haizheng Li & Zhiqiang Liu, 2023. "The impact of family co-residence and childcare on children’s cognitive skills," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(26), pages 3008-3025, June.
    16. Zhang, Yi & Matz, Julia Anna, 2017. "On the train to brain gain in rural China," Discussion Papers 252443, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    17. Yi, Hongmei & Zhang, Linxiu & Yao, Yezhou & Wang, Aiqin & Ma, Yue & Shi, Yaojiang & Chu, James & Loyalka, Prashant & Rozelle, Scott, 2015. "Exploring the dropout rates and causes of dropout in upper-secondary technical and vocational education and training (TVET) schools in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 115-123.
    18. Isil Erol & Umut Unal, 2021. "Employment Effects of Immigration to Germany in the Period of Migration Policy Liberalization, 2005–2018," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202104, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    19. Viet Nguyen, Cuong, 2016. "Does parental migration really benefit left-behind children? Comparative evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 230-239.
    20. Davit Adunts, 2021. "Paternal Circular Migration and Development of Socio-Emotional Skills of Children Left Behind," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp696, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.

    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

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:33:y:2015:i:c:p:247-262. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/chieco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.