Changes of Adult Population Health Status in China from 2003 to 2008

Sun, Hongpeng; Zhang, Qiuju; Luo, Xiao; Quan, Hude; Zhang, Feng; Liu, Chang; Liu, Meina

The increasing range in the prevalence of chronic disease was more significant in women, Han Chinese, elderly, widowed, illiterate, rural, and eastern China than other subpopulations. The presence of chronic disease is rapidly increasing among more affluent people. For example rural residents, who have benefited from China's economic development similarly to urban populations, have experienced dramatic lifestyle changes in the past two decades. They are doing less physical work owing to mechanization and eating more high-protein or -fat food; and are therefore more likely to be aware of the presence of chronic disease and insurance coverage, especially the new rural cooperative medical care scheme, more health service utilization, and better transport have enabled rural residents to visit physicians [12, 13] . As a result, they are more likely to report illness.