Experts stress preparedness for disease among elderly

Three out of four residents of China who are over 60 suffer from chronic diseases, and the elderly community should be aware of the double threats from chronic and infectious diseases, medical experts said during an interview marking National Elderly Health Promotion Week, which started on Monday.

China is currently in a transition phase from rapid aging to severe aging, with approximately 190 million elderly people suffering from chronic diseases, they said, and 43 percent suffer from two or more diseases simultaneously.

Data from the National Health Commission showed elderly people in the country have to live with diseases for an average of nearly 10 years.

"Chronic diseases are a major cause of death among the elderly. When elderly people with these diseases age, their risk of being affected by infectious diseases increases significantly as their immune function weakens," said Wang Jianye, director of the National Geriatric Center.

Experts gave the example of shingles, which mainly afflicts individuals over age 50. Research shows compared with the general population, patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, obstructive pulmonary disease and other diseases have a higher risk of shingles. The elderly should better make use of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases, they added.

Liu Zhaoqiu, director of the department of preventive medicine and healthcare at the First Hospital of Tsinghua University, said individuals need to pay attention to applicable age, protective effect and contraindication when choosing a vaccine.

"For example, if someone is at the acute phase of a chronic disease or right in the middle of suffering a disease, we suggest suspending a vaccination plan temporarily," Liu said. "Also, individuals with immune deficiency or suffering from immunosuppressive diseases are contraindicated from receiving live attenuated vaccines."