Geographic Distribution of Miopia Prevalence Rate of School Children and Pupils and Environmental Condition in Japan

Abstract

Following the school health statistics from the Ministry of Education myopia prevalence rate in elementary school children and secondary school pupils for 10 years from 1955 to 1964 is revealed by 46 prefectures . On the geographic distribution of the prevalence rate, the correlations with natural environmental factors such as annual average temperature and annual insolation duration and with socio-economic factors such as promotion rate of pupils to higher school and living expenditures per person per month are calculated. 1. Myopia prevalence rate is higher in the area of Japan sea side slope from Hokkaido to Hokuriku and in the large cities of the Pacific side, lower in the area which extends from southern Kyushu through Shikoku to Wakayama and in the northern Kanto plain area . 2. The negative correlation with the geographic distribution of annual average temperature is recognized for female. The negative correlation with the geographic distribution of annual insolation duration is found for both sexes, but that for female is higher. 3. The positive correlation with the geogrophic distribution of the promotion rate to the senior secondary school is recognized only for junior secondary school pupils, but the correlation with the promotion rate to the college and the university is found in all male and female groups of all schools. 4. The highest grade positive correlation is found with the geographic distribution of living expenditures per person per month of all consumers for male and female groups of all schools.