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Trends in the Prevalence of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Multimorbidity across Socioeconomic Gradients in Rural Southwest China

  • Original Research
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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the changing prevalence of five chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs)- hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma— and its multimorbidity (refers to the co-existence of two or more chronic diseases in an individual) across socioeconomic spectra in rural southwest China.

Measurements

Two cross-sectional health interviews and examination surveys were conducted among individuals aged ≥35 years in rural China. An individual socioeconomic position (SEP) index was constructed using principal component analysis. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and post-bronchodilator spirometry tests were recorded for each participant.

Results

The mean age and proportion of men was 56.1 years and 48.4% in 2011, while was 56.6 years and 49.4% in 2021. From 2011 to 2021, the overall prevalence of hypertension, stroke and COPD increased from 26.1%, 1.1%, and 8.7% to 40.4%, 2.4%, and 12.8%, respectively (P < 0.01), while prevalence of CHD (2.1% vs. 2.2%) and asthma (1.4% vs. 1.5%) did not differ between the two study years (P > 0.05). The prevalence of NCDs multimorbidity increased from 2.3% to 9.7%, and was also observed among subgroups categorized by sex, age, ethnicity, level of education, income, and SEP (P < 0.01). In addition, the relative increases in the prevalence of multimorbidity were greater among men, old individuals, ethnic minorities, and those with low level of education and low SEP. Both in 2011 and 2021, ethnic minorities and individuals with lower level of education and low SEP had a higher prevalence of multimorbidity of the five studied chronic NCDs than their counterparts (P <0.01).

Conclusions

The prevalence of NCDs multimorbidity increased substantially across all socioeconomic gradients in rural southwest China. Future interventions to further manage NCDs and their multimorbidity must be tailored to address socioeconomic factors.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (72064026 and 82160165), Yunnan Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Innovative Research Team (2023CX11), Program for Innovative Research Team of Yunnan Province (202005AE160002), the Young and Middle-aged Academic and Technical Leaders Reserve Talented Person Project in Yunnan (202105AC160093), and the Training Plan for Medical Discipline Leaders of Yunnan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission (d-2017039).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, 1168 Yu Hua Street Chun Rong Road, Cheng Gong New City, Kunming, 650500, China

    L. Liu, X. Wu, Y. Zhao, G.-H. Li, W.-L. Cui, A. Rabkin Golden & Le Cai

  2. The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

    H.-F. Li & Y. Zhao

  3. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

    X. Wu

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  1. L. Liu
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  3. H.-F. Li
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  4. Y. Zhao
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  8. Le Cai
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Correspondence to Le Cai.

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The Kunming Medical University Ethics Committee approved this study prior to beginning research. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study, and the Ethics Committee of Kunming Medical University approved the consent procedure. This study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Liu, L., Wu, X., Li, HF. et al. Trends in the Prevalence of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Multimorbidity across Socioeconomic Gradients in Rural Southwest China. J Nutr Health Aging 27, 457–462 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1932-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1932-y

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