[Preliminary study on the health status among the "left-behind" children in the Xiantao rural area of Hubei Province].

OBJECTIVE

To study the health status of the primary school children who remain in their home villages (the "left-behind" children) in a rural area of Hubei Province, Central China, whilst their parents are migrant workers in the cities of China.

METHODS

A total of 1000 pupils in the 4th to 6th grade from six rural primary schools in Xiantao City, Hubei Province were enrolled. All subjects were surveyed with questionnaires and received physical examinations. Pupils whose parents had no history of migrant work and who lived with both parents were defined as the control groups.

RESULTS

Among the 875 valid questionnaires, there were 590 "left-behind" children and 285 controls. The mean body weight was significantly lower among the "left-behind" children (35.5 ± 7.1 kg) than the controls (36.3 ± 8.8 kg) (P<0.05). The weight/age z score of "left-behind" children (-0.9811 ± 0.54) was also significantly lower than that of the controls (-0.7012 ± 0.34) (P<0.05). However, the other physical indicators including body height, height/age z score, thickness of sebum, and body mass index and the common nutrition status showed no significant differences between the two groups. The "left-behind" children scored significantly higher in the Children's Depression Inventory than the controls (11.4 ± 7.2 vs 8.0 ± 5.8, P<0.01), and the incidence of depression was also significantly higher in "left-behind" children than in controls (15.3% vs 6.0%, P<0.01). Compared with the controls, the "left-behind" children had significantly higher incidences of antiadoncus (32.0% vs 23.2%; P<0.01), respiratory tract infections (14.6% vs 9.5%; P<0.05), and gastrointestinal infections (7.6% vs 3.9%; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the "left-behind" children have normal nutrition status, they tend to have poor mental health and are more susceptible to infections.