Improving myopia awareness via school-based myopia prevention health education among Chinese students
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, the School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China, Huang Luo-Ming , Xie Yu-Hong ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Meng Zhi-Yong ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Chen Ting ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Dai Bing-Fa ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Yu Yang ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Zeng Zhen ,   Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, the School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China, Zhou Chun-Ya ,   Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, the School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China, Lin Jia-Jia ,   Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, Fujian Province, China, Chen Yin-He ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Quan Zhou Women&#x2019;s and Children&#x2019;s Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Wang Qian ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China, Hu Jian-Min ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China; The Research Center for Juvenile Myopia Prevention and Control of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian Province, China; Engineering Research Center of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
Published: April 2023

AIM: To investigate the myopia awareness level, knowledge, attitude, and skills at baseline and to implement and evaluate the efficacy of myopia prevention health education among Chinese students.
METHODS: A total of 1000 middle school students from 2 middle schools were invited to participate in the study, and myopia prevention health education was conducted. The students were assessed at baseline, followed by a survey. The efficacy of health education was evaluated using the self-comparison method pre- and post-health education.
RESULTS: The study included 957 and 850 pre- and post-health education participants, respectively. The baseline knowledge of all respondents on myopic symptoms (87.5%), myopia is a risk of eyes (72.9%), myopia prevention (91.3%), myopia increases with age (86.7%), performing periodic eye examinations (92.8%), and one first, one foot, and one inch (84.8%) significantly increased after health education (P<0.001 for all). However, the percentage of students who still did not think it necessary to take breaks after 30-40min of continuous near work was 27.0%. The opinion that “myopia can be cured” was still present in 38.3%.
CONCLUSION: Implementing school-based myopia prevention health education improves knowledge, attitudes, and skills regarding myopia among Chinese middle school students.