title: Self-reported myopia in Taiwan: 2005 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of self-reported myopia nationwide in Taiwan and its association with degrees of urbanization and education levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from the 2005 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey, a nationwide survey using multistage stratified systematic sampling. The presence of myopia, current residential areas, and education levels were ascertained by a structured questionnaire in participants ≥ 12 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 20,609 eligible persons were included in this study. The overall weighted prevalence of myopia in Taiwan was 46.7% (95% confidence interval: 45.9, 47.5%). The prevalence of myopia for persons aged 12-19, 20-39, 40-64, and ≥ 65 years was 70.3%, 65.4%, 30.4%, and 5.6%, respectively. Women had significantly higher rates of myopia than men for persons younger than 40 years of age (P<0.001). Myopia was significantly associated with both higher degrees of urbanization of current residential areas and higher education levels (both P<0.001). In young adult and adult groups, the effect of education levels on myopia was stronger than that of degrees of urbanization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provides a nation-wide prevalence data on myopia in Taiwan. Both degrees of urbanization and education levels are risk factors for myopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: L L K
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C-Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009313:National Health Programs; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult