Health status among left-behind children aged 1-4 years with both parents working out in rural Anhui province

Objective To assess physical and mental health status and the prevalences of nutrition disorder and accidental injury among left-behind children in rural Anhui for the improvement of health in the children.Methods Totally 424 left-behind children aged 1-4 years were selected from 12 villages in 2 counties of Anhui province,in which 212 were with both parents working out and 212 with both parents working at hometow n(control group).Physical development,peripheral blood hemoglobin,trace elements such as iron,zinc,magnesium,copper,iron,and calcium,urinary iodine,infant neuropsychological development,and accident injury were evaluated.Results The prevalences of malnutrition,nutritional anemia,zinc deficiency,iodine deficiency,calcium deficiency,and iron deficiency in the children with both parents working out were 4.7%,19.8%,46.2%,21.7%,4.7%,and 6.6%,significantly higher than those in the control group(0.9%,8.5%,34.4%,12.7%,0.9%,and 1.9%)(P<0.05 for all).The prevalences of mental retardation and edge intelligence were significant higher in left-behind children than those of control group(3.8% vs 1.9%, 20.8% vs 10.4%)(P<0.05).The prevalences of animal bite injury in the left-behind children was higher than in the controls,whereas,the prevalences of knife,sharp stab or cut injury,fish or other animal bone sticking in throat in the control group were higher than those in the children with both parents working out(P<0.05).Conclusion High rates of micronutrient deficiencies and neuropsychological development disorder among left-behind children were observed.The results suggest that attention to infant feeding and early education should be taken among guardians of rural left-behind children with both parents working out.