Prevalence of children neglect and its influencing factors among urban children aged 3-6 years in Xinyang city

Objective To examine the current situation of children neglect and its influencing factors among children aged 3-6 years in urban Xinyang. Methods Scales and evaluation methods from the "Chinese Urban Child Aged 3-6 Years Neglect Evaluation Norm" were used in this study.Totally 1 005 children aged 3 to 6 years in urban Xinyang were randomly selected for the survey.Multivariate non-conditional logistic regression analysis was used in data analyses. Results The total neglect rate in the children was 31.7%(319/1 005);the boys had significantly higher total neglect rate and body neglect rate than the girls(P<0.05).There were significant differences in total neglect rate and safety neglect rate among the children of different age groups(P<0.05).The total neglect rate,emotional neglect rate,medical neglect rate in nuclear families and families with three generations were lower than those of in single-parent families and remarried families(P<0.05 for all).The total neglect degree in the urban children was 45.7±6.8.There was no significant difference in total neglect degree between boys and girls(U=1.35,P=0.172),but the boys had significantly higher body neglect degree than the girls(U=2.95,P=0.002).There were significant differences in total neglect degree,body neglect degree,medical neglect degree,and safety neglect degree among the children of different age groups(P=0.000 for all).The total neglect degree,emotional neglect degree,educational neglect degree,safety neglect degree,and medical neglect degree in nuclear families and families with three generations were lower than those of in single-parent families and remarried families(F=70.30,P=0.000;F=59.98,P=0.000;F=43.11,P=0.000;F=66.32,P=0.000;F=70.35, P=0.000).Based on non-conditional multivariate logistic regression analysis,the influential factors of children neglect were family structure(odds ratioOR=4.689,P=0.009),parents' occupation(OR=0.064,P=0.001),parents' educational background(OR=0.130,P=0.000),and relationship between father and mother(OR=4.578, P=0.000). Conclusion The neglect situation of urban children is serious in Xinyang and the main influencing factors are family structure,parents' occupation,parents' educational background,and relationship between father and mother.