Table_1_Myopia in elementary school students in Eastern China during the COVID-19 pandemic.doc

BackgroundMyopia is an increasingly serious public concern, particularly among primary school students. The prevalence of myopia and its influencing factors in primary school pupils in Eastern China during the COVID-19 pandemic had not been explored.
MethodsA randomly clustered sampling method was performed, and selected pupils from grade 1 to grade 3 in 15 primary schools in the Fenghua District of Zhejiang Province were included and given myopia screening and uniform questionnaire survey 1 year later.
ResultsA total of 4,213 students completed the myopia screening and questionnaire survey. Myopia was diagnosed in 1,356 pupils, with a myopia incidence of 32.19%. The spherical equivalent (SE) refraction of the included pupils decreased on average by 0.50 ± 2.15 D 1 year later. The myopia rate was positively correlated with the increase of grade, in which the myopia rate among grade 3 students was the highest at 39.69%. The myopia rate among female students was higher than that among male students. Students residing in urban areas had a higher myopia rate than in rural areas. Maintaining an near work distance ≥33 cm was a significant protective factor (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74–0.96). Students with two myopic parents had a higher risk of myopia (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.34–1.92).
ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the myopia rate among early primary school students in Eastern China was high. More attention and implementation of interventions from health and education departments, such as training the development of good eye behavior, should be considered to strengthen the intervention of myopia in primary school students.

研究背景：近视已成为日益严峻的公共卫生问题，在小学生群体中尤为突出。新冠疫情期间，中国东部地区小学生的近视患病率及其影响因素尚未得到探究。
研究方法：本研究采用随机整群抽样方法，纳入浙江省奉化区15所小学1至3年级的学生，并于1年后对其开展近视筛查与统一问卷调查。
研究结果：共计4213名学生完成了近视筛查与问卷调查。其中1356名学生被诊断为近视，近视患病率为32.19%。随访1年后，纳入研究学生的球镜当量（spherical equivalent, SE）屈光度平均下降0.50±2.15 D。近视患病率与年级升高呈正相关，其中3年级学生的近视患病率最高，达39.69%。女生的近视患病率高于男生；城区学生的近视患病率高于农村学生。保持近距离用眼距离≥33 cm为重要的保护因素（比值比（Odds Ratio, OR）=0.84，95%置信区间（Confidence Interval, CI）：0.74~0.96）。父母双方均为近视的学生，其近视发病风险更高（OR=1.61，95%CI：1.34~1.92）。
研究结论：新冠疫情期间，中国东部地区低年级小学生的近视患病率较高。卫生与教育部门应给予更多关注并落实相关干预措施，例如引导学生养成良好的用眼行为，以加强针对小学生的近视防控工作。