Prime Highlight:
- China has initiated a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about chronic diseases in older adults, with a strong focus on preventing shingles.
- Experts emphasize vaccination and early prevention, especially for high-risk groups like older adults and people with diabetes.
Key Facts:
- About one in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime, with risk increasing sharply after age 50, and diabetes can raise the chance of shingles by up to 60%.
- China has over 230 million people living with diabetes and reports more than 6 million shingles cases each year.
Background
China has started a nationwide health campaign to raise awareness about chronic diseases in older adults, with a strong focus on shingles. The program urges people to take action early and supports the country’s larger goal of helping people stay healthy as they age.
The China CDC, CCTV.com, and the National Open University for the Elderly are leading the initiative. They will offer free health education to adults aged 50 and above. The program explains why it is important to understand and prevent shingles, a painful infection that many people do not notice until it becomes serious.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which remains dormant in most adults. About one in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime, and the risk increases sharply after age 50. Experts say people with chronic conditions such as diabetes face even greater danger.
China has more than 230 million people living with diabetes, while over 6 million shingles cases occur every year. Health experts warn that the overlap of the two conditions may grow as the population continues to age.
“High-risk groups should adopt the mindset that prevention is better than cure,” said Fan Bifa, director of the pain department at China-Japan Friendship Hospital. He explained that vaccination is an effective way to lower the risk of shingles.
Doctors also note that many families focus mainly on blood sugar control and overlook diabetes’s effect on the immune system. Studies show diabetes can raise the chance of developing shingles by up to 60%.
Guo Xiaohui, Chief of Endocrinology at Peking University First Hospital, called for “co-prevention and co-management” of diabetes and related conditions. She stressed including vaccination and risk assessments in routine care.
Community health centers are also joining the effort. Lin Caiwei, director of Zizhuyuan community health center in Beijing, said local clinics will help older adults receive personalized guidance and preventive services.
