Abstract:
Objective To understand the mortality level and its change in elderly population aged ≥60 years in China from 2008 to 2021, analyze its region specific differences among eastern, central, and western regions and between urban area and rural area, and provide evidence for the development of targeted disease prevention and control strategies.
Methods The data, including age and gender specific death counts and population size of people aged ≥60 years were collected from China Cause of Death Surveillance Dataset (2008–2021). Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the change trend of in the mortality levels in eastern, central and western regions and in urban and rural areas in China, the average annual percentage change (AAPC), crude death rate (CDR) and age-standardized death rate (ASDR) were calculated to evaluate the regional differences and temporal patterns.
Results The results showed that the CDR increased from 5.74‰ in 2008 to 7.10‰ in 2021 (AAPC=1.64%, P<0.05) and the ASDR decreased from 8.76‰ in 2008 to 6.58‰ in 2021 (AAPC=−1.96%, P<0.05) in population in China. The CDR decreased from 34.37‰ in 2008 to 28.91‰ in 2021 (AAPC=−1.22%, P<0.05) and the ASDR decreased from 37.61‰ in 2008 to 28.94‰ in 2021 (AAPC=−1.75%, P>0.05) in the elderly aged ≥60 years. The ASDR in the elderly population in urban area decreased from 32.31‰ in 2008 to 26.59‰ in 2021 (AAPC=−1.97%, P<0.05), and the ASDR in the elderly population in rural area decreased from 41.26‰ in 2008 to 30.18‰ in 2021 (AAPC=−2.33%, P>0.05). During the study period, the ASDR in the elderly population in rural area was significantly higher than that in urban areas (WASDR=147, P<0.05). The ASDRs in the elderly population in eastern, central and western regions of China all showed significant downward trends (AAPCeast=−2.61%, P<0.05; AAPCcentral=−3.25%, P<0.05; AAPCwest=−1.78%, P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the ASDR among eastern, central and western regions (χ2=8.033, P<0.05), and the ASDR in eastern region was significantly lower than those in central and western regions (ZEast−Central=−2.542, P<0.05; Zeast−west=−3.357, P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the ASDR between central and western regions (Zcentral -wWest=−0.185, P>0.05).
Conclusion From 2008 to 2021, the health status of the elderly aged ≥60 years was significantly improved in China. However, obvious regional differences existed. The health status of the elderly population was better in urban area than in rural area and in eastern region than in central and western regions. It is necessary to increase the investment to primary medical care and improve the health services in central and western regions and in rural area, actively conduct the prevention and control of chronic diseases and health management in elderly population, establish a multi-level long-term care security system, and steadily implement the national strategy of active population aging response.