Promoting health in old age starts with disease prevention

healthy 61 0 2022-07-31

In order to promote the health China strategy and actively respond to the national strategy of population aging, promote the popularization of health policies and scientific knowledge of the elderly, and effectively improve the health literacy and health of the elderly, the National Health and Wellness Commission, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in July 25 to July 31, 2022 to organize the 2022 National Senior Health Promotion Week activities. The notice of the campaign mentions "the promotion of elderly health policy and elderly health science knowledge, the promotion of vaccination, the prevention and treatment of common diseases and chronic diseases in the elderly, elderly nutrition health knowledge" and other content.

For the elderly, as they age, the physiological and metabolic functions of tissues and organs and immune functions gradually decline, and they often have chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and diabetes, and the risk of infectious diseases (such as influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia and herpes zoster) increases significantly. In order to raise the awareness of common chronic diseases and common infectious diseases among the elderly and help them to manage their health proactively, on the occasion of Geriatric Health Promotion Week, Health News hosted a media communication session on "Promoting Geriatric Health, Starting from Disease Prevention". They invited many scholars and experts in the fields of geriatrics, preventive medicine and general medicine to discuss the topics of "promoting health in old age, prevention first and active health management.

Longevity in an aging society requires "active health" for the elderly

According to the results of the seventh national census, China's population aged 60 and above has reached 264 million people. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the number of elderly people aged 60 and above is expected to exceed 300 million, accounting for more than 20% of the total population, and China will enter a moderate aging society. In terms of health management for the elderly, the "Health China 2030" plan also mentions strengthening health services for key populations, providing health guidance and comprehensive intervention for common diseases and chronic diseases among the elderly, strengthening health management for the elderly, and promoting healthy aging. The 14th Five-Year Plan for National Health lists "prevention-oriented" as one of the basic principles, and also points out that health education should be strengthened to improve the active health capacity of the elderly.

Wang Jianye, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), director of the National Center for Geriatrics and chairman of the Chinese Medical Association's Geriatrics Branch

At the meeting, Wang Jianye, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), director of the National Center for Geriatrics, and chairman of the Chinese Medical Association's Geriatrics Branch, said, "Life expectancy per capita in China has increased from 77.93 years in 2020 to 78.2 years in 2021, but still needs to be improved. Longevity should not just be about natural age, but also about quality of life and the need for a long and healthy life with dignity. This puts higher demands on active health management and disease prevention for the elderly. While promoting the construction of medical and health service system for the elderly and promoting the extension of medical and health services to the community and families, it is necessary to mobilize the initiative of the elderly for disease prevention and management. This is not only what the elderly group needs to focus on, but also what the whole society needs to focus on, and we need to implement healthy aging strategies throughout the life cycle. "

Promoting health in old age starts with disease prevention

Wu Yushao, Vice President of Fudan University Institute of Aging and former Deputy Director of the National Office for the Aging

"Among the population aged 60 and above in China, 55.83% of the population is aged 60 to 69 years old, which is low age-oriented aging. This means that these elderly people have just retired not long ago, and they have a stronger desire to accomplish their life goals or even contribute to society, which requires a healthy body and a good living condition as the foundation. In addition, this part of the elderly is also the future senior citizens." Wu Yushao, vice president of Fudan University's Institute of Aging and former deputy director of the National Office for the Aging, emphasized, "The 14th Five-Year Plan for National Health points out that the active health capacity of the elderly should be improved. Wanting to be healthy and not knowing how to be healthy is the true picture of most elderly people nowadays. This requires establishing the concept of healthy aging and active aging, and moving the health gate from focusing on the elderly, the disabled and the mentally handicapped, to the elderly of lower age. It is also necessary to have the concept of independent self-improvement and active participation. Numerous studies have shown that there is a positive correlation between active participation and health among older adults, and the more involved in socioeconomic development and the more active they are in the community, the better their health status. "

Be alert to the overlapping risks of chronic and infectious diseases, prevention first

Liu Xiaohong, director of the Department of Geriatrics at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and vice president of the Geriatrics Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association

In 2021, about 190million elderly people in China will suffer from chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, etc. About 75% of the elderly aged 60 and above in China suffer from one or more chronic diseases, and 43% have multiple coexisting diseases (2 or more diseases at the same time). Liu Xiaohong, director of the Department of Geriatrics at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and vice president of the Geriatrics Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, said, "Chronic diseases are incurable and it is good to be stable and avoid acute aggravation. As age increases, the body's immunity gradually decreases, the ability to fight infection decreases, and the risk of developing infectious diseases, such as influenza, pneumonia, herpes zoster and meningitis, increases. At the same time, the elderly are at increased risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition and chronic diseases are closely related. Older adults with multiple coexisting medical conditions take multiple medications daily, many of which can affect appetite. Some chronic diseases, such as diabetes, can cause metabolic abnormalities, and malignancies can increase the body's nutrient consumption. More protein is needed after fractures and surgical procedures to help heal wounds. Older adults with chronic illnesses and malnutrition have reduced immunity and inadequate defenses to fight pathogens, increasing the chances of developing infections. This can lead to acute exacerbation of chronic diseases and adverse outcomes that affect quality of life. Therefore, older adults should be alert to the risk of multiple disease overlap, and prevention should come first. "

Older adults are more familiar with chronic diseases, but when it comes to infectious diseases, some older adults are not aware of them. Influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia and shingles are common acute infectious diseases with adverse outcomes among older adults. Influenza is not a "big cold" and in mild cases is similar to the common cold, but its systemic symptoms, such as fever and muscle pain, are more pronounced. Some elderly, infants and chronically ill patients are at high risk of developing pneumonia after influenza and require emergency care or hospitalization. Community-acquired pneumonia is mostly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and occurs in the elderly and infants, as well as in patients with chronic diseases. Shingles, commonly known as herpes zoster, is an infectious skin disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The typical manifestation is a rash that appears unilaterally on the body in a band along the nerve course, often accompanied by neuralgia, mostly paroxysmal, and nearly 1/3 of patients stay with posterior neuralgia, which affects sleep and daily life. There are about 1.56 million new cases of herpes zoster each year in people over 50 years of age in China. Ninety percent of the cases are due to a decrease in immunity and the "resurgence" of the latent varicella-zoster virus in the body. Herpes zoster can occur at any age, with a significant increase in incidence after age 50, and a gradual decline in immune function as we age, making us more susceptible to the disease and its severity. Fortunately, all three infectious diseases can be prevented by vaccination.

Ge Caiying, chief physician of general medicine at Beijing Fangzhuang Community Health Center

Some patients with chronic diseases are afraid to get vaccinated because they are worried about their low immunity. In fact, vaccination is an effective preventive measure that can help the elderly alleviate the progression of accompanying chronic diseases by preventing infections, while reducing the risk of hospitalization or death and hospitalization costs associated with many chronic diseases, improving patients' quality of life and extending their lifespan," explains Ge Caiying, chief physician of general medicine at Beijing Fangzhuang Community Health Center. There are guidelines and consensus on vaccination for patients with chronic diseases in China, and this has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and several other academic organizations. In addition, to better manage their health, seniors can sign up for family doctor services at a community health facility near their homes, one doctor, one family, changing passive services to an active management model. "

Feng Zijian, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Preventive Medicine

Feng Zijian, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Preventive Medicine, emphasized, "As we age, the body's immunity gradually declines and is often combined with one or more chronic diseases, the risk of developing infectious diseases increases significantly, and once infected, the condition is often more serious and increases the risk of death. Vaccines, as one of the most important means of boosting specific immunity, are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. Older adults are urged to manage their chronic conditions while actively receiving influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine and shingles vaccine to prevent these common infectious diseases. Older adults should establish the concept that 'they are the first responsible for their own health' and achieve integrated management and active prevention to pave the way for their future 'silver hair' life. "