As China develops, its health service is one of the sharpest thorns in its side. Lack of public healthcare has led to an increase in diseases that were eradicated or controlled in developed countries decades ago, and the effects of economic progress are felt on lifestyles. Here is a round-up of the nation’s biggest killers when it comes to diseases and conditions.

1. Cancer

In urban areas, cancer is a bigger killer than strokes, and it is growing. According to China’s Ministry of Health, the death rate from cancer rose by 83.1% from the mid-1970s, then by 22.5% in the early ‘90s. In rural regions, the most common types of cancer are liver, stomach, gullet and cervix, while lung, bowel, pancreas and breast cancers are more prevalent in urban centers. Across the board, “lifestyle” cancers like lung and liver cancer show the steepest increase. The biggest killer of all is lung cancer, unsurprising when you consider the rate of smoking (there are over 350 million smokers in China, and around 2000 people per day die from smoking related illnesses) and pollution. The good news is that the government has been investing in rural screening programs and research since 2005.

2. Heart Disease

A study in May 2010 by the American Heart Association stated that 7.7 million people will die of heart disease in China over the next 20 years. Even more damning is a report from Columbia University in New York that predicts that death from cardiovascular disease will increase by over 70% by 2030. Rural regions are particularly badly affected; heart disease claims almost double the victims it did in 1988. Andrew Moran, who co-authored the report, says: “[China]’s standard of living and life expectancy have improved for many, but aging, dietary changes and less physical activity are leading to more heart disease and stroke.” Doctors and researchers blame the rise in heart disease on the government’s focus on stopping the spread of infectious disease, which comes at the expense of dealing with chronic illness.

3. Stroke

Across China, stroke is the second most frequent cause of death – five times more prevalent than the heart attack. China suffers more strokes than anywhere else in the world, but its median figures place it on a level with developed countries. There is a definite north south divide when it comes to strokes, with three times more occurrences in the north. The good news is that research has improved over the past few years, but thorough, pan-nation trials and studies still need to be carried out.

4. Diabetes

Economic progress has been a double-edged sword when it comes to Chinese health. While a rise in living standards is generally thought to be a good thing, unwelcome side-effects like diabetes prove that education has to be a close companion to development. Sedentary lifestyles and change in diet has led to a diabetes epidemic in China. One person in 10 is diabetic, and many more are undiagnosed. 150 million people display early symptoms. This state of affairs means that China has the most cases of diabetes anywhere in the world, costing the government 173.4 billion yuan each year – 13% of its total annual expenditure. At an event on November 14th to mark World Diabetes Day, Ji Linong, head of the Chinese Diabetes Society, said: “The government should spend more on services to intervene and prevent diabetes, such as a universal screening programme for high-risk groups.”

5. AIDS

In 2008, AIDS took over tuberculosis as China’s number one infectious disease. According to state media, AIDS killed nearly 7,000 people in the first three quarters of 2008, more than TB and rabies which had previously been top of the infectious disease ranking. At the last count by China’s Ministry of Health in September 2008, there were 264,302 registered cases of HIV infection, and 34,864 deaths of AIDS. The real figures are likely to be considerably higher, since the government is thought to suppress the truth about the rate of infection. China has been slow to adopt AIDS awareness, with much of the campaigning coming from NGOs and charities like AIDS Action Project (Aizhi Xingdong) and the Chi Heng Foundation.

6. Hepatitis B

Of the 350 million hepatitis B sufferers in the world, one third are in China. There are around 130 million carriers, and 30 million people are infected. Leading to irreversible liver damage, hepatitis B is spread neonatally, horizontally, and via dirty needles. The huge stigma attached to the disease means that sufferers are routinely barred from jobs, universities and schools. Thankfully, the 1992 Expanded Program of Immunization scheme slowed the spread, especially in children between the age of three and 12, but there have been few public awareness campaigns. In 2006, 11.1 million children in the poorest rural areas were vaccinated, but the wider effects have not yet been felt. Immunization is expensive compared to other vaccinations, so fewer people are likely to have them. The stigma is so strong that central government routinely shuts down Hepatitis B Camp, an influential 300,000-strong website for sufferers and activists.

7. Mental Illness

Although China has around 100 million people diagnosed with mental illness, there are only 17,000 certified psychologists – only 10% of the number per capita in developed countries. Due to the stigma attached to mental illness, sufferers were mostly neglected until Deng Xiaoping’s reforms encouraged the adoption of Western styles of treatment. American missionaries opened the first post-Cultural Revolution mental hospitals in 1998. Nevertheless, China’s suicide rate is still high. The World Health Organization put out its most recent figures in 1999, pinning China’s suicide rate at 20 out of every 100,000. What is most striking is that female suicides outnumber male – the only country in the world where this is the case. Suicide rates are four times higher in rural areas than urban, and the most common method is poisoning by pesticides, accounting for 62% of deaths.

8. Tuberculosis

While TB is considered an illness of the past in much of the developed world thanks to diligent inoculation programs, it is still a big problem in China. In fact, China is second only to India when it comes to the tuberculosis epidemic. Before AIDS took over, TB was the most prevalent infectious disease in China, particularly affecting male migrant workers and people in rural areas. Historically, immunization was lax, but the SARS outbreak of 2003 sparked health reforms like the DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy) programme to combat tuberculosis. Funded by a US$58 million loan from the World Bank, DOTS prevented around 30,000 deaths from TB per year, and instigated a 90% cure rate. Currently, the 2005-2014 five year plan is in operation to spearhead new testing schemes, monitor dosage, and send SMS reminders to encourage people to take their medicine.

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: diseases China China’s top killers most popular diseases China