PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
The gender gap remains a major impediment in the path toward equality, and it is especially wide in low-income countries. Gender differences in health-seeking behaviors may be a factor. Family size and childbirth order are two critical factors affecting family resource allocation. This study examines gender differences in healthcare-seeking behaviors among children with visual impairment in rural China across different family structures (birth order and family size).
We draw on a dataset containing 19,934 observations constructed by combining data from 252 different school-level surveys spanning two provinces. The surveys were all conducted in 2012 using uniform survey instruments and data collection protocols in randomly selected schools across western provinces in rural China. The sample children range in grades from 4 to 5. Our analysis compares rural girls with rural boys regarding vision health outcome and behavior (vision examination and correction).
The findings revealed that girls have worse vision than boys. Regarding vision health behaviors, girls have a lower overall vision examination rate than boys. There is no gender difference when the sample student is the only child or the youngest child in the family, but there is still a gender difference when the sample student is the oldest child in the family or the middle child in the birth order. When it comes to vision correction behavior, boys are more likely to own eyeglasses than girls are for groups of students with mild visual impairment, even when the sample student is the only child in the family. However, when the sample student has another brother or sister (the sample student is the youngest, the oldest child in the family, or the middle child in the birth order), the gender difference disappears.
Gender differences in vision health outcomes are correlated with gender differences in vision health-seeking behaviors among rural children. Depending on the birth order and family size, gender disparities in visual health practices vary. In the future, consideration should be given to providing medical subsidies to reduce the cost of vision health behaviors and to provide information interventions to change gender inequality in households and promote equality in children\'s vision health behaviors.
The trial was approved by the Stanford University Institutional Review Board (Protocol No. ISRCTN03252665). Permission was received from local Boards of Education in each region and the principals of all schools. The principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were followed throughout. Written informed consent was obtained from at least one parent for all child participants.
We draw on a dataset containing 19,934 observations constructed by combining data from 252 different school-level surveys spanning two provinces. The surveys were all conducted in 2012 using uniform survey instruments and data collection protocols in randomly selected schools across western provinces in rural China. The sample children range in grades from 4 to 5. Our analysis compares rural girls with rural boys regarding vision health outcome and behavior (vision examination and correction).
The findings revealed that girls have worse vision than boys. Regarding vision health behaviors, girls have a lower overall vision examination rate than boys. There is no gender difference when the sample student is the only child or the youngest child in the family, but there is still a gender difference when the sample student is the oldest child in the family or the middle child in the birth order. When it comes to vision correction behavior, boys are more likely to own eyeglasses than girls are for groups of students with mild visual impairment, even when the sample student is the only child in the family. However, when the sample student has another brother or sister (the sample student is the youngest, the oldest child in the family, or the middle child in the birth order), the gender difference disappears.
Gender differences in vision health outcomes are correlated with gender differences in vision health-seeking behaviors among rural children. Depending on the birth order and family size, gender disparities in visual health practices vary. In the future, consideration should be given to providing medical subsidies to reduce the cost of vision health behaviors and to provide information interventions to change gender inequality in households and promote equality in children\'s vision health behaviors.
The trial was approved by the Stanford University Institutional Review Board (Protocol No. ISRCTN03252665). Permission was received from local Boards of Education in each region and the principals of all schools. The principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were followed throughout. Written informed consent was obtained from at least one parent for all child participants.
摘要：
背景：性别差距仍然是实现平等的主要障碍，在低收入国家尤其广泛。寻求健康行为的性别差异可能是一个因素。家庭规模和分娩顺序是影响家庭资源配置的两个关键因素。这项研究调查了不同家庭结构（出生顺序和家庭规模）的中国农村视力障碍儿童寻求医疗保健行为的性别差异。
方法：我们利用一个包含19,934个观测值的数据集，该数据集通过合并来自两个省的252个不同学校级别的调查数据而构建。这些调查都是在2012年使用统一的调查工具和数据收集协议在中国西部省份农村随机选择的学校进行的。样本儿童的等级从4到5。我们的分析比较了农村女孩和农村男孩的视力健康结果和行为（视力检查和矫正）。
结果：研究结果表明，女孩的视力比男孩差。关于视力健康行为，女孩的总体视力检查率低于男孩。当样本学生是独生子女或家庭中最小的孩子时，没有性别差异，但是当样本学生是家庭中最大的孩子或出生顺序中的孩子时，仍然存在性别差异。当涉及到视力矫正行为时，对于轻度视力障碍的学生群体，男孩比女孩更有可能拥有眼镜，即使样本学生是家庭中唯一的孩子。然而,当样本学生有另一个兄弟或姐妹(样本学生是最小的，家里最大的孩子,或出生顺序中的中间孩子)，性别差异消失。
结论：农村儿童视力健康结果的性别差异与寻求视力健康行为的性别差异相关。根据出生顺序和家庭规模，视觉健康实践中的性别差异各不相同。在未来,应考虑提供医疗补贴，以降低视力健康行为的成本，并提供信息干预措施，以改变家庭中的性别不平等，促进儿童视力健康行为的平等。
背景：该试验获得了斯坦福大学机构审查委员会的批准（方案编号：ISRCTN03252665).每个地区的地方教育委员会和所有学校的校长都获得了许可。始终遵循《赫尔辛基宣言》的原则。对于所有儿童参与者,从至少一位父母处获得书面知情同意书。
方法：我们利用一个包含19,934个观测值的数据集，该数据集通过合并来自两个省的252个不同学校级别的调查数据而构建。这些调查都是在2012年使用统一的调查工具和数据收集协议在中国西部省份农村随机选择的学校进行的。样本儿童的等级从4到5。我们的分析比较了农村女孩和农村男孩的视力健康结果和行为（视力检查和矫正）。
结果：研究结果表明，女孩的视力比男孩差。关于视力健康行为，女孩的总体视力检查率低于男孩。当样本学生是独生子女或家庭中最小的孩子时，没有性别差异，但是当样本学生是家庭中最大的孩子或出生顺序中的孩子时，仍然存在性别差异。当涉及到视力矫正行为时，对于轻度视力障碍的学生群体，男孩比女孩更有可能拥有眼镜，即使样本学生是家庭中唯一的孩子。然而,当样本学生有另一个兄弟或姐妹(样本学生是最小的，家里最大的孩子,或出生顺序中的中间孩子)，性别差异消失。
结论：农村儿童视力健康结果的性别差异与寻求视力健康行为的性别差异相关。根据出生顺序和家庭规模，视觉健康实践中的性别差异各不相同。在未来,应考虑提供医疗补贴，以降低视力健康行为的成本，并提供信息干预措施，以改变家庭中的性别不平等，促进儿童视力健康行为的平等。
背景：该试验获得了斯坦福大学机构审查委员会的批准（方案编号：ISRCTN03252665).每个地区的地方教育委员会和所有学校的校长都获得了许可。始终遵循《赫尔辛基宣言》的原则。对于所有儿童参与者,从至少一位父母处获得书面知情同意书。
