The problem of population aging generated

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Meefing the Health and Long-term Care Problem

Meeting the health and long-term care needs of this growing elderly population will result in soaring health care costs.Indeed，the challenge of paying for health care in China is immense，especially since the Chinese health care system has already experienced large increases in overall costs and greater private expenditure since shiting to a market-oriented system in the early 1980s.

But while China is not prepared to meet the health needs of its growing elderly population，its government has recognized these challenges and is starting to develop a comprehensive response.As a first step，Chinese health officials have implemented various chronic-disease prevention programs at the national level.They are also starting to set up long-term care delivery systems for the elderly.But while China’s economy continues to grow rapidly，whether it will be able to allocate enough income to meet these rising health care costs remains as a maior concern.

A Profile of Aging，Chronic Disease，and Disability

China has made vast improvements in health over the past five decades，with life expectancy at birth increasing by two-thirds from 40.8 to 71.5between 1955 and 2005.

Because chronic health problems become more common in old age，China’s population aging has led to increases in the country’s prevalence of chronic disease and disability，creating a greater need for long-term care.

And improved living standards in China have exacerbated the epidemic of chronic disease by increasing exposure to major risk factors such as smok-ing，high-fat and high-calorie diets，and more leisure time without physical activity.

Chronic diseases accounted for almost 80 percent of all deaths in China in 2005，with the maior causes being cardiovascular disease，cancer，and chronic respiratory diseases.Hypertension prevalence in adult population（currently 19 percent）has increased by one-third over the past decade.Prevalence of obesity，though still around percent，has almost doubled in a decade.These’trends suggest potential increases in the prevalence of these conditions for future cohorts of China’s elderly.