TY - JOUR
T1 - Myopia and the urban environment
T2 - Findings in a sample of 12-year-old Australian school children
AU - Ip, Jenny M.
AU - Rose, Kathryn A.
AU - Morgan, Ian G.
AU - Burlutsky, George
AU - Mitchell, Paul
PY - 2008/9
Y1 - 2008/9
N2 - PURPOSE. To examine associations between myopia and measures of urbanization in a population-based sample of 12-yearold Australian children. METHODS. Questionnaire data on sociodemographic and environmental factors including ethnicity, parental education, and time spent in near work and outdoor activities were collected from 2367 children (75.0% response) and their parents. Population density data for the Sydney area were used to construct five urban regions. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent refraction ≤ -0.50 D. RESULTS. Myopia prevalence was lowest in the outer suburban region (6.9%) and highest in the inner city region (17.8%), with mean refraction tending toward greater myopia by region (outer suburban to inner city), after adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, near work, outdoor activity, and parental myopia. Multivariate-adjusted analyses confirmed greater odds for myopia in regions of higher population density (Ptrend = 0.0001). Myopia was significantly more prevalent among children living in apartment residences than other housing types (χ2 < 0.0001), after adjustment for ethnicity, near work, and outdoor activity. Housing density (measured as the number of houses visible from a front door) was not significantly associated with myopia (χ2 = 0.1). For both European Caucasian and East Asian children, myopia was most prevalent in the inner city region (8.1% and 55.1%, for European Caucasian and East Asian, respectively). CONCLUSIONS. The higher myopia prevalence in inner city-urban areas compared with outer suburban areas for this large childhood sample suggest that even moderate environmental differences within a predominantly urban setting may be associated with increased odds of myopia. These findings are consistent with previous reports of rural-urban differences in childhood myopia.
AB - PURPOSE. To examine associations between myopia and measures of urbanization in a population-based sample of 12-yearold Australian children. METHODS. Questionnaire data on sociodemographic and environmental factors including ethnicity, parental education, and time spent in near work and outdoor activities were collected from 2367 children (75.0% response) and their parents. Population density data for the Sydney area were used to construct five urban regions. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent refraction ≤ -0.50 D. RESULTS. Myopia prevalence was lowest in the outer suburban region (6.9%) and highest in the inner city region (17.8%), with mean refraction tending toward greater myopia by region (outer suburban to inner city), after adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, near work, outdoor activity, and parental myopia. Multivariate-adjusted analyses confirmed greater odds for myopia in regions of higher population density (Ptrend = 0.0001). Myopia was significantly more prevalent among children living in apartment residences than other housing types (χ2 < 0.0001), after adjustment for ethnicity, near work, and outdoor activity. Housing density (measured as the number of houses visible from a front door) was not significantly associated with myopia (χ2 = 0.1). For both European Caucasian and East Asian children, myopia was most prevalent in the inner city region (8.1% and 55.1%, for European Caucasian and East Asian, respectively). CONCLUSIONS. The higher myopia prevalence in inner city-urban areas compared with outer suburban areas for this large childhood sample suggest that even moderate environmental differences within a predominantly urban setting may be associated with increased odds of myopia. These findings are consistent with previous reports of rural-urban differences in childhood myopia.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=53149138595&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1167/iovs.07-1451
DO - 10.1167/iovs.07-1451
M3 - Article
SN - 0146-0404
VL - 49
SP - 3858
EP - 3863
JO - Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
JF - Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
IS - 9
ER -