IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i17p10923-d904196.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effect of Eyeglasses on Student Academic Performance: What Matters? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in China

Author

Listed:
  • Kang Du

    (College of Economics, Xi’an University of Finance and Economics, Xi’an 710100, China
    Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Huan Wang

    (Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Yue Ma

    (Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Hongyu Guan

    (Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Scott Rozelle

    (Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

Abstract

Although eyeglasses have been considered a cost-effective way to combat myopia, the empirical evidence of its impacts on improving learning outcomes is inconsistent. This paper provides empirical evidence examining the effect of providing eyeglasses on academic performance between provinces with a different economic level in western China. Overall, we find a significant impact in Intention-to-Treat analysis and a large and significant local average treatment effect of providing free eyeglasses to students in the poor province but not in the other. The difference in impact between the two provinces is not a matter of experimental design, implementation, or partial compliance. Instead, we find that the lack of impact in the wealthier provinces is mainly due to less blackboard usage in class and wealthier households. Our study found that providing free eyeglasses to disadvantaged groups boosted their academic performance more than to their counterparts.

Suggested Citation

  • Kang Du & Huan Wang & Yue Ma & Hongyu Guan & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Effect of Eyeglasses on Student Academic Performance: What Matters? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10923-:d:904196
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/10923/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/10923/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fang Lai & Linxiu Zhang & Xiao Hu & Qinghe Qu & Yaojiang Shi & Yajie Qiao & Matthew Boswell & Scott Rozelle, 2013. "Computer assisted learning as extracurricular tutor? Evidence from a randomised experiment in rural boarding schools in Shaanxi," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(2), pages 208-231, June.
    2. Peng Jia & Yang Du & Meiyan Wang, 2017. "Rural Labor Migration and Poverty Reduction in China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 25(6), pages 45-64, November.
    3. Yi, Hongmei & Zhang, Linxiu & Ma, Xiaochen & Congdon, Nathan & Shi, Yaojiang & Pang, Xiaopeng & Zeng, Junxia & Wang, Lei & Boswell, Matthew & Rozelle, Scott, 2015. "Poor vision among China's rural primary school students: Prevalence, correlates and consequences," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 247-262.
    4. Sylvia, Sean & Luo, Renfu & Zhong, Jingdong & Dill, Sarah-Eve & Medina, Alexis & Rozelle, Scott, 2022. "Passive versus active service delivery: Comparing the effects of two parenting interventions on early cognitive development in rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    5. Chu, Jessica Hsiaochieh & Loyalka, Prashant & Chu, James & Qu, Qinghe & Shi, Yaojiang & Li, Guirong, 2015. "The impact of teacher credentials on student achievement in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 14-24.
    6. Rachel Glennerster & Kudzai Takavarasha, 2013. "Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10085.
    7. Steckler, A. & McLeroy, K.R., 2008. "The importance of external validity," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(1), pages 9-10.
    8. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    9. Sylvia, Sean & Ma, Xiaochen & Shi, Yaojiang & Rozelle, Scott, 2022. "Ordeal mechanisms, information, and the cost-effectiveness of strategies to provide subsidized eyeglasses," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    10. Elie Dolgin, 2015. "The myopia boom," Nature, Nature, vol. 519(7543), pages 276-278, March.
    11. Glewwe, Paul & Park, Albert & Zhao, Meng, 2016. "A better vision for development: Eyeglasses and academic performance in rural primary schools in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 170-182.
    12. Jingchun Nie & Xiaopeng Pang & Lei Wang & Scott Rozelle & Sean Sylvia, 2020. "Seeing Is Believing: Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Eyeglasses on Academic Performance, Aspirations, and Dropout among Junior High School Students in Rural China," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 68(2), pages 335-355.
    13. Xiaochen Ma & Huan Wang & Yaojiang Shi & Sean Sylvia & Lei Wang & Yiwei Qian & Scott Rozelle, 2021. "Improving learning by improving vision: evidence from two randomized controlled trials of providing vision care in China," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 1-26, January.
    14. Hannum, Emily & Zhang, Yuping, 2012. "Poverty and Proximate Barriers to Learning: Vision Deficiencies, Vision Correction and Educational Outcomes in Rural Northwest China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1921-1931.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Guan, Hongyu & Zhao, Jin & Liu, Wenting & Shi, Yaojiang, 2023. "Impact of subsidized distribution on follow-up uptake of vision health services for rural students: A field experiment in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Juerong Huang & Hongjing Dang & Yan Cai & Juan Liu & Qihui Chen, 2022. "Myopia and Depression among Middle School Students in China—Is There a Mediating Role for Wearing Eyeglasses?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Guan, Hongyu & Zhang, Yunyun & Du, Kang & Wang, Zhijie & Shi, Yaojiang, 2024. "Revisit the one-time subsidies and long-run adoption of health products: Quasi-experimental evidence from providing free eyeglasses in rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    3. Wang, Yue & Ma, Yue, 2024. "The Impact of healthcare service program on the mental health of migrant children in eastern China: Evidence from a cluster-randomized controlled trial," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343823, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Shi, Jiayi & Li, Ling & Wu, Dandan & Li, Hui, 2021. "Are only children always better? Testing the sibling effects on academic performance in rural Chinese adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    5. Hongyu Guan & Huan Wang & Kang Du & Jin Zhao & Matthew Boswell & Yaojiang Shi & Yiwei Qian, 2018. "The Effect of Providing Free Eyeglasses on Children’s Mental Health Outcomes in China: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Sylvia, Sean & Ma, Xiaochen & Shi, Yaojiang & Rozelle, Scott, 2022. "Ordeal mechanisms, information, and the cost-effectiveness of strategies to provide subsidized eyeglasses," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    7. Naik, Gopal & Chitre, Chetan & Bhalla, Manaswini & Rajan, Jothsna, 2020. "Impact of use of technology on student learning outcomes: Evidence from a large-scale experiment in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    8. Hongyu Guan & Huan Wang & Juerong Huang & Kang Du & Jin Zhao & Matthew Boswell & Yaojiang Shi & Mony Iyer & Scott Rozelle, 2018. "Health Seeking Behavior among Rural Left-Behind Children: Evidence from Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, April.
    9. Aboal, Diego & Perera, Marcelo & Tacsir, Ezequiel & Vairo, Maren, 2018. "A guide for the evaluation of programs of human capital training for science, technology and innovation," MERIT Working Papers 2018-031, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    10. Wang, H. & Guan, H. & Boswell, M., 2018. "Health Seeking Behavior among Rural Left-behind Children: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in China," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276955, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Jin Zhao & Huan Wang & Hongyu Guan & Kang Du & Yunyun Zhang & Nathan Congdon, 2022. "Impact of Teacher Incentive Intervention on Students’ Vision Healthcare Uptake: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, October.
    12. Guan, Hongyu & Yang, Tianli & Zhang, Yunyun & Shi, Yaojiang, 2023. "Time's ticking! Effects of deadline on the utilization of health services: Evidence from a cluster-randomized controlled trial," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    13. Michael Grimm & Renate Hartwig, 2022. "All eyes on the price: An assessment of the willingness‐to‐pay for eyeglasses in rural Burkina Faso," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(7), pages 1347-1367, July.
    14. Vieira, Flávio & MacDonald, Ronald & Damasceno, Aderbal, 2012. "The role of institutions in cross-section income and panel data growth models: A deeper investigation on the weakness and proliferation of instruments," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 127-140.
    15. Anthony Briant & Pierre-Philippe Combes & Miren Lafourcade, 2014. "Product Complexity, Quality of Institutions and the Protrade Effect of Immigrants," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(1), pages 63-85, January.
    16. Mario Jametti & Thomas von Ungern-Sternberg, 2005. "Assessing the Efficiency of an Insurance Provider—A Measurement Error Approach," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 30(1), pages 15-34, June.
    17. Yane, Haruka & Yamada, Hiroyuki, 2015. "Import Competition from Neighbors: Impacts on Performances of Enterprises in Vietnam," Conference papers 332621, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    18. Isaiah Andrews & Anna Mikusheva, 2016. "Conditional Inference With a Functional Nuisance Parameter," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 84, pages 1571-1612, July.
    19. McCausland, David & Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Theodossiou, Ioannis, 2005. "Some are Punished and Some are Rewarded: A Study of the Impact of Performance Pay on Job Satisfaction," MPRA Paper 14243, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. GAO Tianming & Anna Ivolga & Vasilii Erokhin, 2018. "Sustainable Rural Development in Northern China: Caught in a Vice between Poverty, Urban Attractions, and Migration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-20, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10923-:d:904196. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.