Study on the impact of children’s myopia on parental anxiety levels and its related factors

To assess how children's myopia affects the psychological state of their parents, especially their anxiety levels, and its related factors. Using a cross-sectional case series design, this study employed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to assess the anxiety status of parents of myopic children who visited Beijing Children's Hospital from May to August 2024. Data were statistically analyzed using Chi-square test, t-test, and analysis of variance, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between myopia and anxiety. Among the 242 parents surveyed, 64.46% (156) showed no anxiety symptoms, 17.36% (42) exhibited mild anxiety, 9.5% (23) had moderate anxiety, and 8.68% (21) had severe anxiety. There was a significant gender difference in anxiety levels, with mothers generally experiencing more anxiety. Specifically, the average anxiety score for mothers was 8.58 ± 12.01, while that for fathers was 7.19 ± 9.16. Univariate analysis revealed that mothers of girls aged under40 with the myopia degree ranging from -0.25D to -6.00D exhibited more pronounced myopic anxiety. In addition, difference analysis indicated that the higher the degree of myopia in the child, the higher the anxiety score of the parents (P < 0.05). Younger children were typically associated with a higher anxiety level of parents. Spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the degree of myopia in the child and the anxiety level in the parents, while there was a negative correlation between the age of the child and anxiety scores (P < 0.05). Children's myopia has a significant impact on the mental health of parents, especially mothers. The anxiety level is closely related to the gender of the child and the severity of myopia. Therefore, it is particularly important to provide positive psychological support for promoting children's vision health and enhancing family psychological harmony.