Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the level of haze-related knowledge adolescents have and to explore relevant influencing factors.Methods: From June 2015 to January 2016, researchers randomly selected 2 districts from the 20 districts of Baoding, China. Then, researchers randomly selected two middle schools from two districts. By conducting a stratified cluster sampling and considering one class as a unit, researchers randomly selected, from the other middle school, five first-grade classes, five second-grade classes, five third-grade classes from the one middle school, and three first-grade classes, two second-grade classes, and two third-grade classes. Finally, 1,100 adolescents were investigated by using the demographic questionnaire and the Adolescent Haze-Related Knowledge Awareness Assessment Scale (AHRKAAS). Multiple linear regressions were conducted to explore factors affecting the adolescent haze-related knowledge. Sensitivity analysis was used to confirm associations between influencing factors and AHRKAAS scores.Results: The AHRKAAS score rate was 69.9%. The dimension of human factors of haze formation was the highest (score rate = 85.6%). The dimension of haze harms on the human body was the lowest (score rate = 57.1%). Compared with the group (monthly expenses <300 yuan), the group (monthly expenses ≥ 600 yuan) had a higher AHRKAAS score (β = 4.882, 95% CI: 0.979, 8.784). Compared with the group (Do not live with parents), the group (Live with parents) had a higher AHRKAAS score (β = 14.675, 95% CI: 9.494, 19.855). Compared with the group (Never undergo a physical examination), the group (Once a year) (β = 7.444, 95% CI: 2.922, 11.966) and the group (A few times a year) (β = 7.643, 95% CI: 2.367, 12.919) had a higher AHRKAAS score. Compared with the group (Know nothing), the group (Know most) (β = 9.623, 95% CI: 2.929, 16.316) and the group (Know very well) (β = 15.367, 95% CI: 7.220, 23.515) had a higher AHRKAAS score. These associations were still reliable and consistent in different sensitivity analysis models.Conclusion: The level of adolescent haze-related knowledge is low and is affected by monthly expenses, living condition, physical examination frequency, and knowledge of respiratory system diseases. Government bodies, schools, and research institutions should strengthen cooperation of health publicity and health education to improve adolescent haze-related knowledge.
Highlights
Air pollution has become an important global problem, affecting the health of millions of people around the world [1]
The Adolescent Haze-Related Knowledge Awareness Assessment Scale (AHRKAAS) score level of adolescents ranged from 25 points to 125 points
Because the different dimensions of AHRKAAS included the different numbers of items, the total score of AHRKAAS and the score of each dimension were transformed by the score rate
Summary
Air pollution has become an important global problem, affecting the health of millions of people around the world [1]. As a manifestation form of severe air pollution, haze has short-term acute harms and long-term chronic harms on human health This can cause far-reaching impacts on body health, especially in the children and adolescents [3,4,5,6,7,8]. Liu’s research results showed that 29.29% of residents increased the number of physical examinations to deal with the damage of haze to their health [10] Among these sensitive people, it is of importance to study their hazerelated knowledge levels and possible influencing factors. Acquiring knowledge related to haze can encourage adolescents to set up health protection awareness for preventing haze harms on body health This should reduce the incidence of related diseases and allow for their normal growth and development. In the aspect of adolescent health protection for haze, this study may provide an important theoretical framework
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