Barriers to family intervention to promote child and adolescent vision health: A qualitative study based on community practice in China.

PURPOSE

Child and adolescent myopia is a widespread public health problem worldwide, with high incidence, low age at onset, and severe symptoms. Family management plays a very important role in the prevention and management of myopia in children and adolescents; however, even with knowledge of the health risks of myopia, parents still continue to selectively ignore the importance of visual health, resulting in difficulties with family care related to childhood and adolescent myopia. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers to family intervention for child and adolescent vision.

METHODS

This was a qualitative phenomenological research study that used in-depth semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of 20 parents whose children had been diagnosed with myopia in Shenzhen, China. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis methods.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged: Vision health: neglected care, Going outdoors: the forgotten activity, Education: the top priority.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis revealed that several factors contributed to barriers to promotion of visual health. One was an incorrect perception of myopia, including the effects of myopia, its non-lethality, and a view that it has minimal impact on daily life. Additionally, when parents faced a conflict between education and vision care, they tended to choose current education and ignore future development of visual problems.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The findings suggest that future family intervention for child and adolescent myopia can be based on the perspective of parental health education, Simultaneously, it should also focus on the balance between education and vision care.