Zhang Yunyun, Guan Hongyu, Du Kang, Zhao Jin, Shi Yaojiang, Wang Huan, Wang Decai
Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021 Apr 9;14:1449-1464. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S297265. eCollection 2021.
In rural China, children's vision problems are very common, with many who would benefit from refractive correction not getting the care they need. This study examines whether a health information campaign that involves vision health education and a free trial of health product with free eyeglasses is effective at raising students' awareness of myopia and promoting students' eyeglasses usage.
We conducted an in-the-field randomized controlled experiment of a program providing vision health education and subsidized free eyeglasses to myopic children from 168 primary schools in rural Northwestern China in 2012.
A total of 2189 students, mean age 10.5 years (49.3% male), participated in the baseline survey. At the baseline, the average correct response rate for visual knowledge among the sample students was 30.1%, and only 15% who needed eyeglasses used them. Seven months after intervention, the average correct response rate for vision knowledge were 48.5% and 48.3% in the education group and the education plus free eyeglasses group respectively, significantly higher than that of the control group. The rate of eyeglasses usage was 36% and 43% in the free eyeglasses group and the education plus free eyeglasses group respectively, significantly higher than that of the control group. The rate of eyeglasses compliance in the free eyeglasses group and the education plus free eyeglasses group was 19% and 26%, which also were significantly higher than the control group.
The information campaign combined with subsidized eyeglasses had a better effect both on vision knowledge and eyeglasses usage. The information campaign improved knowledge by providing the right information, and free eyeglasses changed the perceived utility and experience by the students using the product and getting benefits. Information and the free eyeglasses (subsidized) are complements.
在中国农村地区，儿童视力问题非常普遍，许多能从屈光矫正中受益的儿童并未得到所需的护理。本研究旨在探讨一项包含视力健康教育以及免费试用含免费眼镜的健康产品的健康信息宣传活动，在提高学生对近视的认识和促进学生使用眼镜方面是否有效。
2012年，我们在中国西北农村地区的168所小学对一项为近视儿童提供视力健康教育和补贴免费眼镜的项目进行了实地随机对照实验。
共有2189名学生（平均年龄10.5岁，男性占49.3%）参与了基线调查。基线时，样本学生中视觉知识的平均正确回答率为30.1%，只有15%需要眼镜的学生使用了眼镜。干预七个月后，教育组和教育加免费眼镜组的视力知识平均正确回答率分别为48.5%和48.3%，显著高于对照组。免费眼镜组和教育加免费眼镜组的眼镜使用率分别为36%和43%，也显著高于对照组。免费眼镜组和教育加免费眼镜组的眼镜依从率分别为19%和26%，同样显著高于对照组。
信息宣传活动与补贴眼镜相结合在视力知识和眼镜使用方面都有更好的效果。信息宣传活动通过提供正确信息提高了知识水平，而免费眼镜通过让学生使用产品并获得益处改变了他们对产品的感知效用和体验。信息和免费（补贴）眼镜是互补的。
