| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 公共衛生研究所 === 107 === Background
Exposure to an environment with relatively lower socioeconomic factors can affect children unhealthy behavior. Widening social inequality in vision health of children is an important health issue in Taiwan. I examined the inequality time trends in the children’s near-work activities by parental socioeconomic status in Taiwan from 2005 to 2013.
Methods
Using population-based, cross-sectional data from Taiwan National Health Interview Surveys in 2005, 2009, and 2013 among girls and boys under 11 years old, I calculated absolute (the slope index of inequality, SII) and relative (relative index of inequality, RII) measures of inequality in spending time of children’s near-work activities by three indicators of parental socioeconomic status. Factors associated with children’s near-work activities were assessed using ordinary least squares regression analysis.
Results
From 2005 to 2013, average hours per day of TV time decreased for all SES of children. Absolute and relative parental educational inequalities in screening time of watching TV narrowed. The average hours per day of screen time using computer, internet, and playing video games increased for all SES of children in weekend, but in weekday, the screen time usage was similar over time. The absolute inequalities indicator (SII) in mother’s education level increased significantly, from -0.49 (95% CI -0.26 to 0.73) in 2005 to -0.28 (95% CI -0.88 to 1.68) in 2013. The average hours per day of time for reading story books, comics, picture books, novels or magazines decreased for all SES of children. Inequalities in reading time increased on the relative scale (RII) with father’s education level, mother’s education level, and household monthly income over the period covered by surveys from 2005 to 2013, from 2.02 (95% CI 1.70 to 2.40) in 2005 to 2.26 (95% CI 1.83 to 2.78) in 2013 in RII in father’s education level, from 2.09 (95% CI 1.78 to 2.46) in 2005 to 2.37 (95% CI 1.95 to 2.87) in 2013 in RII in mother’s education level, and from 1.91 (95% CI 1.57 to 2.33) in 2005 to 1.93 (95% CI 1.57 to 2.38) in 2013 in RII in household monthly income. However, the changes in SII with three SES indicators above mentioned in reading time were decreased. The average hours per week of studying time by attending cram schools increased for all SES of children. The studying time in attending cram schools increased sharply from 2005 to 2013 in children with lower father’s education level, which resulted in changes of the SII from 0.46 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.88) in 2005 to -0.348 (95% CI 1.98 to 2.68) in 2013.
Conclusions
Widening mother’s educational inequalities in healthy behavior of near-work activities among children (ie, lower TV time, lower screen time in using computer, internet, and playing video games, and higher reading time) from 2005 to 2013 gives rise to concern. Moreover, there was a significant increase of income inequalities in reading books among children. It is a warning sign of social inequality in children’s vision health. The results emphasis the need for public health efforts to strengthen particularly interventions that have been shown to be pro-equity, and to avoid further widening in inequalities, especially among the socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
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