Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the main contributors to the global burden of disease. The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the disease burden of COPD in China and to determine the risk factors of the disease. The number of studies included in the review was 47 with an average quality assessment score of 7.70 out of 10. Reported COPD prevalence varied between 1.20% and 8.87% in different provinces/cities across China. The prevalence rate of COPD was higher among men (7.76%) than women (4.07%). The disease was more prevalent in rural areas (7.62%) than in urban areas (6.09%). The diagnostic rate of COPD patients in China varied from 23.61% to 30.00%. The percentage of COPD patients receiving outpatient treatment was around 50%, while the admission rate ranged between 8.78% and 35.60%. Tobacco exposure and biomass fuel/solid fuel usage were documented as two important risk factors of COPD. COPD ranked among the top three leading causes of death in China. The direct medical cost of COPD ranged from 72 to 3,565 USD per capita per year, accounting for 33.33% to 118.09% of local average annual income. The most commonly used scales for the assessment of quality of life (QoL) included Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire, Airways Questionnaire 20, SF-36, and their revised versions. The status of QoL was worse among COPD patients than in non-COPD patients, and COPD patients were at higher risks of depression. The COPD burden in China was high in terms of economic burden and QoL. In view of the high smoking rate and considerable concerns related to air pollution and smog in China, countermeasures need to be taken to improve disease prevention and management to reduce disease burdens raised by COPD.

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BackgroundChina is in the process of integrating the new cooperative medical scheme (NCMS) and the urban residents’ basic medical insurance system (URBMI) into the urban and rural residents’ basic medical insurance system (URRBMI). However, how to integrate the financing policies of NCMS and URBMI has not been described in detail. This paper attempts to illustrate the differences between the financing mechanisms of NCMS and URBMI, to analyze financing inequity between urban and rural residents and to identify financing mechanisms for integrating urban and rural residents’ medical insurance systems.MethodsFinancing data for NCMS and URBMI (from 2008 to 2015) was collected from the China health statistics yearbook, the China health and family planning statistics yearbook, the National Handbook of NCMS Information, the China human resources and social security statistics yearbook, and the China social security yearbook. “Ability to pay” was introduced to measure inequity in health financing. Individual contributions to NCMS and URBMI as a function of per capita disposable income was used to analyze equity in health financing between rural and urban residents.ResultsURBMI had a financing mechanism that was similar to that used by NCMS in that public finance accounted for more than three quarters of the pooling funds. The scale of financing for NCMS was less than 5% of the per capita net income of rural residents and less than 2% of the per capita disposable income of urban residents for URBMI. Individual contributions to the NCMS and URBMI funds were less than 1% of their disposable and net incomes. Inequity in health financing between urban and rural residents in China was not improved as expected with the introduction of NCMS and URBMI. The role of the central government and local governments in financing NCMS and URBMI was oscillating in the past decade.ConclusionsThe scale of financing for URRBMI is insufficient for the increasing demands for medical services from the insured. The pooling fund should be increased so that it can better adjust to China’s rapidly aging population and epidemiological transitions as well as protect the insured from poverty due to illness. Individual contributions to the URBMI and NCMS funds were small in terms of contributors’ incomes. The role of the central government and local governments in financing URRBMI was not clearly identified. Individual contributions to the URRBMI fund should be increased to ensure the sustainable development of URRBMI. Compulsory enrollment should be required so that URRBMI improves the social medical insurance system in China.

Summaryobjectives China has implemented the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) in rural areas since 2003 to provide financial protection to its rural population. This article explores the effect of NCMS on relieving catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) among the poor and non-poor groups.methods A questionnaire survey was conducted in three counties, with a random sample of 358 poor and 523 non-poor NCMS enrollees who used inpatient services and obtained NCMS reimbursement in 2005.results Majority of NCMS enrollees suffered CHE because of using inpatient services; the occurrence and intensity of CHE was greater among poor inpatients. NCMS reimbursement helped relieve CHE to a certain degree. Poor inpatients benefited more from NCMS than non-poor, but the effects varied among counties. Cost control measures and other medical financial assistance (MFA) helped reduce inpatients' economic burden.conclusions The objective of NCMS is only partly achieved. However, NCMS has promoted equity in health financing as poor inpatients can acquire more protection than the non-poor. Our analysis suggests that efforts should be made to improve NCMS design, strengthen cost containment and extend other MFA to further relieve economic burden of disease.keywords health insurance, catastrophic health expenditure, equity, China