Objective: To explore the willingness of care and related influencing factors among caregivers of those 'left at hometown' children under 7 years in Chinese rural areas.
Methods: Questionnaires were used to survey caregivers (n = 7585) who were identified by multi-stage stratified cluster sampling. Multi-factor ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to screen the influencing factors on the willingness of care among them.
Results: The percentage on 'very willing', 'willing', 'unwilling' on those 'left at home' children were 41.1%, 55.4% and 3.5% respectively in the group with single parent while 19.5%, 71.4% and 9.1% respectively in the group of both parents having left home. Data from the multi-factor ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that factors including the age of the caregiver, annual per capita income for caregivers' families, social connections and the length of children's mother being absent, amount of fees for living provided by parent/parents, and the child's age and lifestyle, being the only child or not, and the age of the child when the parent/parents left the residence etc, were related to the willingness of care of the givers.
Conclusion: Willingness of care calls for attention and urgent improvement. Influencing factors and measures need to be taken when necessary.