Epidemiology and the control of disease in China, with emphasis on the Chinese Biobank Study

Abstract

summarySimilar to many other developing countries, China is facing a double burden of disease as a result of epidemiological transition. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a major challenge, having an adverse effect on the health of the Chinese population and increasing the economic burden of health care. In today's era of evidence-based medicine and decision making, China, as a developing country, has a lack of local scientific evidence which will affect the effectiveness of NCD prevention and control.As such, and on the basis of decades of cooperation and trust with the University of Oxford, the Chinese Biobank Study [Kadoorie Study of Chronic Disease in China (KSCDC)] was commenced in 2004. KSCDC, an international prospective project, aims to establish the basis of a blood-based health database, using genetic, environmental and lifestyle aspects to investigate and understand the causes, risk factors, pathogenesis, prevalence patterns and trends of major chronic diseases in China (such as stroke, coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease etc.). This study has a duration of 15-20 years, and will provide scientific evidence for strategic planning of NCD prevention and control, and development of new treatment and intervention approaches. In total, approximately 510,000 adults aged 30-79 years have been recruited from the general population in 10 geographically defined regions (five rural and five urban) of China, with differing disease profiles and differing risk exposures. Extensive data collection has been undertaken with questionnaires, physical measurements, and collection and storage of blood samples. KSCDC is a multi-factor, multi-disease, multi-disciplinary large-scale chronic disease epidemiological study, and is also one of the largest long-term blood-based population cohort studies ever conducted in the world. It is worth mentioning that all gene specimens are kept in China, and all associated intellectual property rights are owned by international cooperation groups; this breaks new ground for Chinese and foreign international cooperation.

Polypharmacy in the oldest old (≥80 years of age) patients in China: a cross-sectional study

“…Regarding health care costs, 96.8% of the subjects received free medical care or had health insurance, suggesting that the patients’ economic burden was light and that few of them were concerned about their medical expenses. The average number of chronic diseases per patient observed in this study was generally consistent with previous studies in China [ 33 , 34 ]. The most commonly used prescription drugs were gastrointestinal drugs.…”

Investigation of the Relationship Between Chronic Stress and Insulin Resistance in a Chinese Population

“… 1 IR is directly related to the risk of developing metabolism-related disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. 2 China has experienced an epidemic of major chronic diseases, such as stroke, coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension, in recent decades. In addition to genetic causes, environmental influences, such as chronic stress, behavioral disturbances, and dietary deficiency, have now emerged as contributors to the development of metabolic diseases.…”

Asia Pacific survey of physicians on asthma and allergic rhinitis (ASPAIR)

“…In recent years, China has undergone rapid economic growth and industrialization, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now being the main health burden in China. [1] In 2009, the four major NCDs (cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, heart disease, and respiratory diseases) accounted for approximately 80% of all deaths in urban and rural areas of China, and the prevalence of NCDs is expected to increase significantly between 2010 and 2030. [1] Addressing the public health challenge of NCDs in China is imperative, and will likely improve outcomes for patients and result in social and economic benefits.…”