See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
Research article
Yanna Zhu
School of Publc Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Global Health Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4160-3695
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background With rapid development of China’s economy, there were over 68.7 million left-behind children (LBC) in China whose mental health has become a problem of public concern. The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the status of mental health and its associated factors of LBC aged 3-16 years old in both rural and urban areas.
Methods A total of 4187 children (aged 3-16), including 1471 LBC and 2716 non-left-behind children (NLBC), were recruited from 50 communities (22 in urban areas and 28 in rural areas) in Guangdong, China in August, 2014. The mental health problems were assessed using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Results No statistically significant difference of SDQ subscales scores about difficulties were found between LBC and NLBC on the whole participants as well as in rural areas or in urban areas within the same age group after adjustments were made (all p>0.05). However, compared with NLBC in the same areas, urban LBC tended to have higher prosocial behaviours scores, while rural LBC had the lowest prosocial behaviours scores not only in the whole age group but also in different age subgroups (p<0.05). Besides, compared with urban LBC, rural LBC were not worse in SDQ subscales scores except for prosocial behaviour at 7-9 age group (p=0.003). Furthermore, longer duration of parental absence (β=-0.184 to -0.103) and lower communication frequency (β=0.085 to 0.121) were associated with less difficulties in both rural and urban LBC. Higher paternal educational level (β=-2.736 to -0.085) and longer duration of talk per-time (β=-0.183 to -0.113) were associated with less difficulties in rural LBC.
Conclusions The present study demonstrated that in general, no difference of mental health problems were found between LBC and NLBC. The finding reinforce the importance of the stability of caregivers and the effective parent-child communication for Chinese rural LBC.
Keywords
left-behind children, mental health, community, place of residence age
Loading...
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Version 1
Posted 07 Sep, 2019
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 27 Oct, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 26 Oct, 2019
Review #3 received
Received 17 Oct, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 08 Oct, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 25 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 09 Sep, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 08 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 27 Aug, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Health Policy
Learn more about our company.
A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Yanna Zhu
School of Publc Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Global Health Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4160-3695
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Version 1
Posted 07 Sep, 2019
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 27 Oct, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 26 Oct, 2019
Review #3 received
Received 17 Oct, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 08 Oct, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 25 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 09 Sep, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 08 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 27 Aug, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Health Policy
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Background With rapid development of China’s economy, there were over 68.7 million left-behind children (LBC) in China whose mental health has become a problem of public concern. The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the status of mental health and its associated factors of LBC aged 3-16 years old in both rural and urban areas.
Methods A total of 4187 children (aged 3-16), including 1471 LBC and 2716 non-left-behind children (NLBC), were recruited from 50 communities (22 in urban areas and 28 in rural areas) in Guangdong, China in August, 2014. The mental health problems were assessed using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Results No statistically significant difference of SDQ subscales scores about difficulties were found between LBC and NLBC on the whole participants as well as in rural areas or in urban areas within the same age group after adjustments were made (all p>0.05). However, compared with NLBC in the same areas, urban LBC tended to have higher prosocial behaviours scores, while rural LBC had the lowest prosocial behaviours scores not only in the whole age group but also in different age subgroups (p<0.05). Besides, compared with urban LBC, rural LBC were not worse in SDQ subscales scores except for prosocial behaviour at 7-9 age group (p=0.003). Furthermore, longer duration of parental absence (β=-0.184 to -0.103) and lower communication frequency (β=0.085 to 0.121) were associated with less difficulties in both rural and urban LBC. Higher paternal educational level (β=-2.736 to -0.085) and longer duration of talk per-time (β=-0.183 to -0.113) were associated with less difficulties in rural LBC.
Conclusions The present study demonstrated that in general, no difference of mental health problems were found between LBC and NLBC. The finding reinforce the importance of the stability of caregivers and the effective parent-child communication for Chinese rural LBC.
Loading...