ABSTRACT
Objective@#To understand the correlation between myopia related health belief and screen time of primary and secondary school students in Jing-an District of Shanghai, and to provide suggestions for reducing screen time and preventing myopia.@*Methods@#Using the method of cluster sampling,1 585 students from grade one to grade eight of a primary school and a junior high school in Jing-an District were selected for a questionnaire survey regarding myopia related health belief, screen time and the correlation between them.@*Results@#About 18.8%-44.4% of the students perceived themselves as myopia susceptible,which increased with grade (χ 2=33.25,P<0.01), 51.5%-78.0% of the students were aware of the adverse health impart of myopia, 39.3%-55.6% of the students were aware of unhealthy behaviors associated with myopia and 48.7%-77.5% of the students. More than 47.6% of the students daily screen time was more than 2 h/day, and daily screen time increased with grade (χ 2=12.18, P<0.01). Perceived susceptibility for myopia, awareness on adverse health impact of myopia and unhealthy behaviors associated with myopia, as well as self-efficacy associated with myopia prevention were associated with screen time of students.@*Conclusion@#The primary and middle school students in Jing an District show low lever of knowledge on myopia susceptibility and threat, but higher lever of knowledge on myopia severity and self-efficacy of preventing myopia. nearly half of the students use electronic screens too long or too close to their eyes. Awareness on myopia susceptibility, myopia-related behaviors and health impacts of myopia and self-efficacy, combined with screen time reduction might help myopia prevention.